Impact of physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum on chronic disease risk.

Research over the past 20 years has focused on the safety of physical activity during pregnancy. Guidelines for health care providers and pregnant/postpartum women have been developed from the results of these studies. The overwhelming results of most studies have shown few negative effects on the pregnancy of a healthy gravida, but rather, be beneficial to the maternal-fetal unit. Recently, researchers have begun to consider the role of maternal physical activity in a more traditional chronic disease prevention model, for both mother and offspring. To address the key issues related to the role of physical activity during pregnancy and postpartum on chronic disease risk, the American College of Sports Medicine convened a Scientific Roundtable at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. Topics included preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, breastfeeding and weight loss, musculoskeletal disorders, mental health, and offspring health and development.