Can exercise cause a miscarriage or preterm labor?
A. Soldiers often express concerns regarding pregnancy PT and preterm labor and /or miscarriage. After consulting the literature and OB physicians involved in Soldiers delivering preterm, the following is agreed upon: 1) When babies deliver before 20 weeks, it is technically not preterm labor, but is a miscarriage or cervical insufficiency. Neither miscarriage nor cervical insufficiency is caused by moderate exercise. Women who have a history of cervical insufficiency and get pregnant should have early prenatal care for evaluation and development of a plan for prenatal care. These women are at higher risk for the same problem again. A woman who has a history of cervical insufficiency may very well be placed on a limited exercise profile in subsequent pregnancies, but there is no proof that limiting exercises will be effective to prevent another preterm loss. 2) Preterm labor occurs when babies are born between 20 and 36 weeks. Exercise does not contribute to preterm labor. Pregnant wom
