Sports that are Prohibited for Pregnant Women

Discover which exercises are prohibited for pregnant women. For various reasons, it's essential that you don't perform them under any circumstances if you're pregnant. 
Sports that are Prohibited for Pregnant Women

Last update: 29 December, 2019

Many women have doubts and are unsure if they should make physical efforts during pregnancy or they don’t know which practices are allowed. Keep reading to clear all your doubts regarding sports that are prohibited for pregnant women. Enjoy this wonderful phase of your life!

Sports that are prohibited for pregnant women

Pregnancy is a stage where you tend to put on weight. That’s why many women want to exercise to remain fit and stay in shape. However, not all exercises are appropriate as some efforts may endanger the baby’s health.

The first thing we must keep in mind is if the future mother exercised before pregnancy or not. A body that’s already accustomed to sports is not the same as one that has a sedentary lifestyle.

If you’re in the first group, you should know that you can continue exercising. Nonetheless, it’ll be necessary to stop making certain types of efforts and slightly modify some exercises.

On the other hand, if you normally have a sedentary life, it’s not the best time to start practicing high-intensity exercises. Your body isn’t ready and may suffer. In this case, it’s best to seek advice from a specialist when doing gentle exercises, such as walking.

You will have to modify your exercises during pregnancy.

Sports that are prohibited during pregnancy

As we’ve mentioned before, pregnancy and exercise are fully compatible. This doesn’t mean that you can do any sport regardless of its intensity. To clear all your doubts regarding this issue, we’ll now explain which sports you shouldn’t do under any circumstances:

Contact sports: sports that are prohibited for pregnant women

It’s obvious that the safety of the future baby is essential. That’s why you shouldn’t perform any contact exercise in which there’s a risk of suffering a blow to the abdomen. An example of this type of activity is karate or judo.

If you practice a contact sport, you should stop doing it from the moment you find out that you’re pregnant. You won’t be able to practice it again until you fully recover from childbirth.

It’s important to clarify that under no circumstances can you practice it more carefully or using some type of protector.

Adventure sports

Adventure sports are a way to release tensions and disconnect from all our worries. For the people who perform them, they are a type of drug since they’re really exciting. Moreover, they squeeze the body to the fullest and are a good method to get fit.

In light of that, you have to stop performing them during pregnancy. This is because adventure sports always carry a risk for the people who perform them and, in this case, also for the baby.

Climbing, high jumps, canyoning, or any other similar practice must be totally banished from the daily life of any pregnant woman.

If they involve pelvic impact, they’re prohibited sports

The belly and pelvic area are the most delicate areas during the months of gestation. That’s why you must avoid subjecting yourself to any kind of effort. Any exercise that involves jumping or forcing this area isn’t recommendable because it could harm the fetus and the mother as well.

Therefore, if you do sports that involve pelvic impact, you should consult with a professional about how you can modify them. If this isn’t possible, you must replace them with more appropriate ones. 

Contact sports are prohibited.

Conclusion

Sports are highly recommended during pregnancy and there’s no reason to stop practicing them; unless your family doctor tells you otherwise. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that you’re at a stage where you have to take a series of precautions so that you and the baby are perfectly well.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Mata, F., Chulvi, L., Roig, J., Heredia, J. R., Isidro, F., Sillero, J. D. B., & Castillo, M. G. del. (2010). Prescripción del ejercício físico durante el embarazo. Revista Andaluza Medicina Del Deporte. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1888-7546(14)70058-9
  • Ferri Aguilar, E. (2011). Embarazo y deporte. Enfermería Integral.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.