Episode #195
What If Everything You Heard About Pregnancy and Exercise Is Wrong?
Send us Fan Mail In episode #195 Kyla explores what the science actually says about exercise in pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and how athlete-specific training changes during this life stage. Kyla is joined by Dr. Margie Davenport, a leading researcher in exercise and pregnancy, and professional off-road cyclist Sarah Sturm, who shares the lived experience of training while pregnant. We discuss the biggest myths around pregnancy and exercise, what the research shows about resistance training, HIIT, fueling, hydration, heat, and what may be coming next in updated athlete guidance. KEY TAKEAWAYS Why pregnancy and postpartum women have historically been underrepresented in research, and how that has shaped outdated guidance Sarah Sturm’s perspective as a pregnant professional athlete, including the pressure, judgment, and uncertainty that can come with competing while pregnant Why miscarriage is commonly misunderstood, and why exercise itself is not shown to cause miscarriage How resistance training, including lifting heavier loads, has been associated with fewer pregnancy complications in the available research What current data suggests about HIIT and higher-intensity exercise during pregnancy The broad benefits of physical activity in pregnancy, including reduced risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and depression Postpartum benefits, including lower odds of postpartum depression, urinary incontinence, and type 2 diabetes Fueling shifts during pregnancy, including increased needs for protein and iron, plus the reality of physiological anemia Hydration and heat considerations, especially for athletes training in warm or humid conditions The so-called pregnancy advantage and how some cardiovascular adaptations may persist postpartum Why updated sport-specific guidance for athletes is on the way through the International Olympic Committee process Please note that this podcast is created strictly for educational purposes and should never be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. ABOUT DR. MARGIE DAVENPORT & SARAH STURM: Dr. Margie Davenport is the Christenson Professor in Active Healthy Living within the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. She has published more than 200 manuscripts on exercise during preconception, pregnancy & postpartum, and has chaired numerous national and international guidelines on physical activity for perinatal women. Over the past decade, Dr. Davenport has partnered with global organizations including the WHO, IOC, FIFA, NWSL, and WTA to advance safe physical activity for pregnant and postpartum women worldwide. Her transformative research and advocacy continue to shape international standards for maternal health, sport, and exercise across preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods. Sarah Sturm is a professional off-road cyclist, who lives in the San Juan Mountains in Colorado. She grew up playing all sorts of sports, but didn't start riding until she moved to Durango, Colorado for college, where she joined the cycling team. Sarah turned pro in 2018, racing the international cyclocross circuit. In 2019, she won her first big gravel race, changing the trajectory of her whole career. She is one of the top American gravel cyclists with podium finishes in the worlds biggest gravel races and series. She is currently taking the season off for maternity leave but will be back racing the Life Time Grand Prix and a full calendar in 2027. FOLLOW DR. DAVENPORT & SARAH STURM: Dr. Margie Davenport’s website: https://exercisepregnancy.ca Dr. Margie Davenport's IG: www.instagram.com/drmargiedavenport Sarah Sturm's IG (she had her baby!!): www.instagram.com/sarahsturmy MENTIONED IOC guidelines: https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Athletes/Medical-Scientific/Consensus-Statements/2016_Exercise-pregnancy-recreational-elite-athletes-part-1.pdf The 2025 Canadian Guideline for physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep throughout the first year postpartum: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40139673/ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introducing Dr. Margie Davenport and athlete Sarah Sturm 04:00 - Margie’s path from national team athlete to pregnancy researcher 05:56 - How women and pregnant athletes were excluded from research 07:19 - The history of exercise guidance in pregnancy 09:19 - Sarah on first-trimester fear, judgment, and being labeled AMA 11:10 - Miscarriage myths and what the data actually shows 14:29 - Why Margie studied heavy lifting in pregnancy 16:07 - Heavy lifting, reduced complications, and fetal monitoring studies 22:26 - What the HIIT pregnancy study found 24:27 - Major guideline findings for pregnancy and postpartum 26:47 - Why age and parity data are still limited 28:46 - The upcoming IOC guideline for athlete pregnancy participation 29:46 - Upper training limits and why 300 minutes per week may be too conservative 31:07 - Creatine, supplements, and why the evidence is still early 33:14 - What surprised Margie most in the research 35:08 - Contact sports after 12 weeks and actual risk levels 36:31 - Fueling changes during pregnancy 39:11 - Hydration targets and practical signs of dehydration 41:08 - Heat, core temperature, and why this remains a research gap 43:50 - Pregnancy cardiovascular changes and the postpartum advantage 45:23 - Identity shifts and how motherhood changes perspective 46:38 - Two truths and a lie reveal 47:03 - Margie’s circus performer story and synchronized swimming background 47:51 - What’s next in Margie’s research pipeline 48:22 - Where to follow Dr. Margie Davenport 49:35 - Sarah’s closing thoughts on why this information matters MORE NR Apply to work with Kyla → https://p.bttr.to/3ZrwzcF Use code NEWPOD10 for 10% off our meal plans → https://nutritional-revolution.com/products/ CONNECT Instagram → www.instagram.com/nutritionalrevolution Sponsorship inquiries → kyla.c@nutritional-revolution.com Interested in having your biomarkers or nutrigenomics checked? 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