Is It Safe To Bicycle During Pregnancy?

Sports, Travel, and Leisure

Obie Editorial Team

Embracing exercise during pregnancy offers substantial benefits, such as helping to prevent gestational diabetes, easing labor, and setting your body up for a smooth recovery. If running was your pre-pregnancy passion, you can continue until you no longer feel comfortable doing so. Similarly, if swimming was your workout of choice, keep enjoying those daily laps until it becomes challenging.

There’s a substantial risk associated with any potential falls from your bike, as this could lead to trauma impacting your abdomen, the baby, or placenta, and might even precipitate premature labor.

It’s important to steer clear of high-risk activities. Those that might harm you could also pose a risk to your baby. Many health professionals suggest that biking offers limited benefits to your unborn child compared to other safer forms of exercise. The risk of falling, and consequently, harming your baby is a serious consideration.

Even though many dedicated cyclists have pedaled into their second trimester without incident, it's vital to remember that any sudden loss of balance could have serious repercussions as your pregnancy progresses. The potential threat to the baby increases as the pregnancy progresses, should a fall occur.

Balance Is An Issue

Balance becomes progressively more of a concern during pregnancy. During the early stages, hormonal changes may cause lightheadedness and dizziness, increasing the risk of falls. As you move into your second and third trimesters, your shifting center of gravity makes maintaining balance while biking more challenging and potentially hazardous.

As the pregnancy advances towards the final trimester, your ability to balance effectively may decrease, heightening the risk of falls. If you're passionate about biking, you don’t have to abandon it entirely. Consider switching to a stationary exercise bike during your pregnancy. This alternative allows you to continue your beloved exercise routine without compromising your safety or your baby’s wellbeing.