Dr Kerryn Phelps, Health Editor, Channel Nine, 'Today'
LEIBMANN: Last year, the issue of pregnancy and sport became a pretty hot topic when Netball Australia introduced that blanket ban on mothers to be. Trudy Gardner from the Adelaide Ravens was subsequently banned from playing because she was expecting. Well, now the Australian Medical Association has endorsed draft guidelines on pregnancy and sport, as set out by the Australian Sports Commission, and we're joined now by our Health Editor, Dr Kerryn Phelps. Good morning.
PHELPS: Good morning, Steve.
LEIBMANN: Now, these are draft guidelines, right?
PHELPS: They are, yes.
LEIBMANN: But, do they clear up that cloud that was over this whole question?
PHELPS: Yes. I think that we have desperately needed some clarification for women who are wanting to maintain their fitness, be involved in sport while they are pregnant, and they really have been, I guess, just relying on information that they have been able to get from their doctors, from talking to their friends. I think it's very important, now, that not only pregnant women, but also doctors and sporting organisations will have some guidelines that will help them to work out what is safe, what is not safe and some general advice for women making that decision.
LEIBMANN: Just having a quick look at the draft guidelines earlier this morning, seems to me the overriding advice in all of this is do nothing without the advice of your doctor.
PHELPS: That's a very strong element to all of this advice, that advice has to be individually tailored for each woman. Each pregnancy is unique, there are obviously certain things that are common to pregnancies, at different stages, but each woman is unique. You need to make sure that you are having regular check ups with your doctor, discuss it with your doctors, and if you're planning to continue your exercise program, for example, if you are an elite athlete, then you need to get specialist advice on what is an appropriate level of exercise. And if you're thinking of starting an exercise program, once again, advice on how to get going.
LEIBMANN: Alright. So, what are some of the conclusions? Because this all came out of this forum.
PHELPS: Well, I think, for example, safe exercise during pregnancy, you can have contact sports like soccer and basketball in the first trimester, which is the first three months, because the foetus is very low down in the pelvis and protected by the mothers skeleton. Obviously, things like walking, swimming, jogging are safe right through pregnancy. And, in the second trimester, which is that middle three months, minimal contact sports are fine depending on the mothers health, the level of competition. So, things like netball, tennis, racketball sports would also be considered safe, but, bearing in mind that as you go through pregnancy, the body prepares itself for the delivery, which means that ligaments start to loosen up.
LEIBMANN: Yeah, what does that mean?
PHELPS: Well, there are a couple of things that happen, the ligaments loosen up so that the pelvis can expand to allow for the baby to be delivered. That also means that the other ligaments can loosen up, so if you're in a sport where you're changing direction a lot, then that can put your ligaments at risk, and if you're at risk of falling or changing direction and twisting an ankle or a knee or then that's something you need to bear in mind. And also, as you get bigger and women put on between 10 and 15 kilos, then they will, over that period of time, their centre of gravity will shift, so that can mean that their balance can change, too.
LEIBMANN: And up on our screen now, just some of the signs, that you should just stop exercising.
PHELPS: Well, a lot of this is just basic commonsense, but if your pulse rate's racing along, if you're dizzy, if you get headaches, if you feel sick, if you're not putting on enough weight, that means that the baby may not be growing at the right rate, if you've got back pain, or pelvic pain, if you're baby is not moving as much as it was before, if there is swelling around the ankles, hands and face, these are signs to stop what you are doing, immediately, go and see a doctor, because you don't want to be at risk of a premature delivery, or miscarriage.
LEIBMANN: Okay, got to leave it there, but the bottom line is, stay in touch with your doctor.
PHELPS: Commonsense, and stay in touch with your doctor.
LEIBMANN: Okay, see you next week.
PHELPS: Thanks, Steve.
Ends