There’s a difference between heavy lifting on the job and heavy lifting at the gym when it comes to risk of miscarriage.
Though the amount of total weight lifted at the workplace may be equal to, or even less than, the total amount lifted during a gym workout, there are other factors that must be considered in evaluating risk of miscarriage.
The answer to the point-blank question of “Can heavy lifting during a gym workout cause a miscarriage” is:
“No (at least in most women),” says Daniel Kort, MD, Practice Director of Neway Fertility, one of NYC’s leading fertility centers specializing in customized and affordable natural fertility treatments.
“While certain activities may be associated with pre-term labor or very late miscarriage, there is no known association between heavy lifting and early miscarriage,” adds Dr. Kort.
Studies on the risk of miscarriage from hoisting heavy loads have focused on occupational lifting, not gym workouts.
A study by Bonde et al (Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health) found a moderate association between miscarriage and lifting more than 100kg (220 lbs.) total per work shift.
The paper’s abstract states:
These kind of studies do not take into consideration other elements that can be part of the miscarriage equation.
For example, suppose you took 100 women whose heavy lifting occurs only at the gym, and 100 women whose heavy lifting occurs only at the workplace.
It’s a safe bet that unhealthy lifestyle habits would be far more prevalent in the second group than in the first.
Risk factors for miscarriage include smoking, drinking, illicit drug use and obesity.
Women who engage in these unhealthy choices or who are obese rarely conduct workout routines involving heavy lifts. It’s just such an opposing lifestyle to them.
Yes, there are women who go to health clubs but who also smoke, drink more than lightly and may even dabble in illegal drugs.
Years ago I knew a woman who, after 30 minutes of serious strength training, would step outside for a smoke.
She had the physique of an athlete and was strong to boot. AND she smoked. Her smoking would be a much greater risk to a pregnancy than would be her barbell squat, bench press and overhead press.
Despite this anomalous case of the smoker/bodybuilder, it is still just so very unlikely you’ll find women – who smoke and drink a lot – deadlifting 185 pounds, squatting 225 and bench pressing 150.
In addition, obese women are rarely seen lifting heavy at the gym because most fear that heavy strength training will make them bigger.
Workplace vs. Gym
We really cannot extrapolate that heavy lifting in a gym workout causes the same moderate increase in miscarriage risk as does any heavy lifting on the job.
And here’s another thing to consider: The workplace is often replete with emotional stress.
For the gym enthusiast, exercise is in a peaceful, stress-free environment (though often noisy).
Next, hoisting heavy loads on the job involves haphazard movements, whereas strength training regimens involve controlled, bilateral and systematic movements.
Finally, at a gym, a woman is more apt to take breaks when her body needs one, and drink water when her body needs it.
At a fast-paced job site, a pregnant woman may be fatigued and parched, yet still feel pressured to continue exerting herself.
Studies that examine the risks of occupational lifting on miscarriage do not take all these variables into consideration.
Until a large-scale study shows a strong association between heavy lifting from methodical gym workouts and miscarriage, in nonsmoking, nondrinking women with other healthy lifestyle habits, you can go ahead and continue to lift like a warrior.
Just make sure you are plenty hydrated, are well-nourished with a very healthful diet, and that you don’t smoke, drink or take illicit drugs.
If your body is used to heavy lifting, and you get pregnant, you can continue on this track because your trained body is used to strength workouts.
At the same time, you should hold off on any new ventures that would be a shock to your body such as going from the controlled movements of bodybuilding to the fierce, rapid and highly repetitive movements of CrossFit.
Also make sure that you know with absolute certainty that your resting blood pressure is normal.
Neway leverages state-of-the-art techniques to achieve the highest pregnancy rates in the United States. Neway, founded in 2011, is the first fertility center in the U.S. to deliver over 10 babies using IVM, a groundbreaking fertility treatment requiring little to no medication. Neway specializes in IVF, IVM, natural cycle IVF, IUI, genetic testing and more.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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