Exercise during pregnancy

I am a professional footballer. Now that I am pregnant, can I continue to exercise in order to keep physically fit?

Ngozi (by SMS)

With more high-profile footballers smashing expectations and returning to peak performance after childbirth, pregnancy is no longer seen as a barrier to elite football. In order to optimize postpartum return to performance it is essential that the football community proactively work together to obtain up-to-date information related to pregnancy and apply this to the context of current female football.

To create scalable guidance for safe football participation during pregnancy and effective protocols for successful performance, there must first establish the current state of scientific research on the topic. Footballer together with their support system, to provide the needed foundation for the application of these considerations to practice. Greater support for footballer-mothers keeps more women in the game for longer, and inspires women and girls to get involved in a sport that can be continued as a female footballer. The International Football Federation (FIFA) has therefore put in place new rules to protect female footballers during pregnancy.

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