Even light exercise and sitting less could reduce risks in pregnancy

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-05-28 01:00

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Even small efforts to get moving throughout the day could reduce pregnancy risks, according to international research. The team say moderate to vigorous exercise is recommended to reduce the risk of pregnancy complications, but it is less clear whether lighter exercise and efforts to move around can also make a difference. To test this, the researchers collected data on daily steps, time spent sitting and light physical activity for 470 pregnant women through a wearable accelerometer device. 37% of the women had a pregnancy complication, and 18.3% had high blood pressure during their pregnancy. The researchers say the women who spent the most time standing and doing light exercise were much less likely to have a pregnancy complication compared to those who spent the most time sitting and did the least light exercise.