The number of women who exercise regularly has been increasing since the mid-1970s. Women may run, cycle, perform aerobics or lift weights on a daily basis.
Many women participate in competitive activities such as team sports, races, or even marathons.
The formation of the WNBA has helped draw attention to the lack of scientific data on the effect of exercise on women. No guidelines are available to ensure uniformity of recommendations to women before, during and after pregnancy. See Article in this issue. Physically active women who become pregnant invariably ask their physicians about the safety of exercise and its impact on pregnancy. Physicians need to be able to answer these questions for their patients.