Exercise and Your Placenta: Why Movement Matters
If you’ve been pregnant (or are right now!), you’ve probably heard about the placenta — that incredible, temporary organ your body builds to keep your baby alive, fed, and happy. Think of it as your baby’s custom-made support system: it delivers oxygen and nutrients, filters waste, and produces hormones that help your pregnancy run smoothly.
Most research on the placenta has looked at size — bigger or heavier placentas versus smaller ones — but size doesn’t tell the whole story. What we really want to know is: how well is it working?
That’s why, as I was perusing PubMed on a Thursday night (doesn’t everyone do that to relax?) I was excited to see a 2022 systematic review that pulled together data from over 44,000 pregnancies to see how physical activity before and during pregnancy affects placental function, not just its size.
So… how does exercise affect the placenta?
The review found that regular movement — especially moderate-intensity activity like walking, swimming, cycling, or prenatal yoga — is linked to better blood flow between you and your baby. This improved circulation means more oxygen and nutrients get to your little one.
And here’s one of the most fascinating findings: Mothers who exercised during pregnancy had placentas with more villous tissue — the parts dense with blood vessels that facilitate nutrient transfer to the baby.
Why is that a big deal? Lower levels of villous tissue are associated with complications like intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preeclampsia. This review suggests that regular physical activity may help improve placental function by enhancing its nutrient-delivery capacity.
Researchers also saw changes in:
Vascular function – The blood vessels in and around the placenta were more efficient.
Nutrient transport – The placenta seemed better at moving important building blocks (like glucose and amino acids) to baby.
Hormone signaling – Some of the hormones the placenta releases (which regulate growth and metabolism) responded positively to physical activity.
Why this matters
The placenta is basically the middleman between your body and your baby’s. A healthy, well-functioning placenta can support:
Steady baby growth
Reduced risk of pregnancy complications like preeclampsia
A smoother transition for baby after birth
And here’s the key takeaway: It’s not about doing intense workouts. Even small, consistent amounts of movement can help. Think: a daily walk, a few rounds of gentle squats, or a short prenatal yoga session.
How to move safely in pregnancy
Of course, if you’ve been told you have specific restrictions (like placenta previa, preterm labor risk, or certain heart conditions), you should follow your provider’s recommendations. But for most pregnancies, here’s what the evidence supports:
Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity (you should still be able to hold a conversation).
Mix it up – combine cardio (walking, swimming) with gentle strength work (resistance bands, bodyweight exercises).
Listen to your body – slow down or stop if you feel dizzy, short of breath, or have pain.
My favorite gentle placental-boosting moves
Side-lying clamshells or rainbow clamshells (ask me!) for circulation in the pelvis
Cat-cow/hip circles to keep the spine and blood flow moving
Daily walking — even 10 minutes after a meal can improve blood sugar and help baby’s nutrient supply… but I want more!
Anyway. Whatever you are doing is amazing. If you have been thinking about this, but it hasn’t happened- you need to join the Beyond Birth Blueprint's foundational course: THRIVE. It’s where we dive into the things that are simple but not easy (like drinking enough water, ahem) and we hold each other accountable for the things we say we want to do. [The "I" is for Intentional Movement"]… E-mail hello@bewellbabypdx.com if you want to know more ;)
Love,
Emily
