• Is it OK to have sex when I'm pregnant? Sexual intercourse is harmless during uncomplicated normal pregnancies. High-risk pregnancies may dictate abstinence because of risk for abortion or preterm delivery
• I've heard that it's better not to have sex in the last month of pregnancy because it may induce labor. Is this the case? Some practitioners recommend abstinence during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy, but many recommend sex for the same reason
• Is it OK to carry on exercising during pregnancy? Are there any activities I should avoid? Exercise during pregnancy is generally to be encouraged. There are a few points to bear in mind and these are considered below

Uncomplicated pregnancies

• No scuba diving (risk for fetal decompression sickness)
• Avoid high impact aerobics, especially during the last half of pregnancy
• Avoid activities with high risk for abdominal trauma
• Regular exercise should be encouraged to promote bowel movements, improve posture and abdominal strength, regulate weight gain, and prevent venous stasis and thromboembolism
• Generally, a woman can continue an existing exercise program but each activity should be assessed for potential risk
• Women who have not been exercising can begin low-impact exercise programs gradually (e.g. walking, biking)
• Exercise intensity during pregnancy should be limited to an exercise heart rate range of 135-165 beats per minute; the class time should not exceed 1h 15min, including the time for stretch and relaxation exercises; and frequency should not exceed three times a week in the absence of medical or obstetric complications
• Swimming or aquatic aerobics are especially well suited
• Contraindications to exercise include history of premature labor, incompetent cervix, persistent vaginal bleeding, and pregnancy-induced hypertension

Pregnancies complicated by hypertensive disorders

• There are no data reporting on the safety of exercise in hypertensive women during pregnancy
• Aerobic or vigorous exercise is discouraged for hypertensive women during pregnancy based on the theoretic risk for maintaining adequate placental blood flow and the risk of pre-eclampsia

Guidelines

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has published guidelines: ACOG Committee Opinion. Number 267, January 2002: exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Obstet Gynecol 2002;99:171-3.