EDMONTON, Alberta, May 12 (UPI) -- Myths about exercise during pregnancy continue to be knocked down as women look to stay active, with another study released Tuesday finding that healthy activity reduces the risk of having a large baby and the need for Caesarean section.
Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada analyzed 28 studies that included 5,322 pregnant women, comparing those who participated in some type of regular supervised physical activity with those who did not.
"We found that women who exercised had a 31 per cent reduction in the risk of having a large baby without changing the risk of having a small baby or an earlier baby," lead researcher Margie Davenport, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, said in a press release. "Further, the risk of having a Caesarean section was reduced by 20 per cent."
The study was published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology May 12.
