Pregnancy sport ban challenged

The developing foetus may be vulnerable to impacts, say experts

A decision by an Australian sports body to stop pregnant women playing is unjustified, say the country's leading doctors.

They say that there is no evidence that playing sports while pregnant places either mother or child at greater risk.

The exercise is even likely to be beneficial to both, they say.

However, UK experts say that women should get advice before carrying on with any form of vigourous sporting activity.

There is an overwhelming argument to encourage women to exercise during this time

Dr Susan White

The ban, by Netball Australia, is about to be contested at the country's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

However, writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on Tuesday, Dr Susan White, from the Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre, Melbourne, said that the ban went against all available evidence.

She wrote: "There is an overwhelming argument to encourage women to exercise during this time rather than send the wrong message by banning participation in netball - the single largest particpation sport for women in Australia."

Fears about sporting exercise during pregnancy centre on the chance of a blow to the abdomen which may harm the developing foetus.

However, research has shown that in contact sports, only approximately 2% of injuries involve either the chest or the abdomen.

Moderate exercise

Other researchers have suggested that pregnant women who take moderate exercise (less than four times a week) actually had larger babies than non-exercisers or extreme exercisers.

There is no evidence of any labour or delivery problems, or of any cognitive development problems once the child is older.

However, one British sports science expert believes there are some grounds for caution as far as netball is concerned.

Precaution

John Brewer, from the National Sports Centre at Lilleshall, Shropshire, said that netball did involve some contact, and therefore a theoretical risk.

He said: "I can see where the authorities are coming from.

"The only things that pregnant women shouldn't take part in are sports in which they are likely to become very hot, or sports where there could be an impact, particularly around the abdominal area."

He said that swimming or aerobic based exercise was the best for pregnant women. The report points out that growing fears over potential litigation in the event of an accident was the driving force behind the ban.

We normally say that women should carry on with whatever exercise they feel comfortable with

National Childbirth Trust

A spokesman for the National Childbirth Trust said that pregnant women - and those who have recently given birth - might be more vulnerable to injury.

At this time, the body produces the hormone relaxin, which makes the ligaments and tendons more stretchy in preparation for giving birth.

It is suspected that this may make joints more vulnerable.

The spokesman said: "We normally say that women should carry on with whatever exercise they feel comfortable with.

"Obviusly, if they have a history of miscarriage, then they need to be more careful."

Sporting organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain public liability insurance - which they need in order to operate.