Pregnant climbers may not have to stay grounded, study suggests
Climbers who love their sport may not have to hang up their ropes and harnesses just because they become pregnant, a University of Alberta study suggests. Although physical activity guidelines advise expectant women to stay grounded because of the risk of falling, the research presents the first direct evidence that continuing to climb into the third trimester doesn't increase the chances of…
A recent study conducted by the University of Alberta suggests that pregnant climbers may not need to stop their sport. Physical activity guidelines often advise women to avoid exercise during pregnancy due to the risk of falling, but this research provides direct evidence that continuing to climb into the third trimester does not increase the chances of pregnancy complications.
The researchers surveyed 692 participants about their climbing habits while pregnant, including experiences of falls, health outcomes during and after pregnancy, and whether they resumed climbing postpartum. Results showed that there were 155 hard falls across nearly 64,000 hours of climbing, with a very low rate of adverse clinical events at 0.03 per 1,000 hours of exposure.
Notably, all babies were born alive, and there was no significant difference in pregnancy or fetal health outcomes between those who stopped climbing by 27 weeks and those who continued. Despite concerns, 96% of the surveyed climbers felt happy or very happy about continuing their sport. This study challenges long-held assumptions about maternal exercise during pregnancy and suggests that continued climbing could be beneficial for both mental and physical health.
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