Back in May, Sonika discovered she was pregnant while preparing for her regular gym sessions. Her husband assumed pregnancy would mean a break from training, but Sonika had other plans. She has spoken to media houses about how she did not want pregnancy to be taken as a setback or illness, and wanted to inspire other women as well. Sharing clips from her lifting journey, including the recent event where she was 7 months pregnant, she said, “Nothing can stop a woman…If she wants to achieve something she will,” in an Instagram post.

 

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Her achievement has sparked a nationwide conversation about pregnancy and physical activity, motivating women to pursue fitness goals even during pregnancy. However, even as Yadav has said that she only continued training and lifting after a sign-off from her gynaecologist, it has also raised questions about safety and the risks of heavy lifting while pregnant, prompting experts to weigh in on what is advisable for women who wish to stay active without compromising their own or their baby’s health.

Athletes who competed while pregnant

Yadav’s story is not isolated, as elite athletes around the world have competed while pregnant, demonstrating that with careful planning and medical supervision, pregnancy does not necessarily preclude high-level performance. Egyptian fencer Nada Hafez participated in the 2024 Paris Olympics while seven months pregnant. She revealed on social media that her pregnancy motivated her to give her best performance, highlighting that women’s bodies are capable of extraordinary feats.

Azerbaijani archer Yaylagul Ramazanova competed in the 2024 Olympics at around six and a half months pregnant, becoming only the second archer from her country to participate at the Games.

German skeleton racer Diana Sartor competed in the 2006 Winter Olympics while nine weeks pregnant. American middle-distance runner Alysia Montaño competed at the USA Outdoor Championships while five months pregnant and had previously raced at eight months pregnant, showcasing her sustained athletic commitment. In powerlifting, Lucie Martinsdottir achieved squats of 180 kg, bench presses of 105 kg, and deadlifts of 205 kg at 30 weeks of gestation, totalling 490 kg in a meet.

What are the guidelines on physical activity during pregnancy?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises that physical activity during pregnancy is highly beneficial for maternal and fetal health. Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for noncommunicable disease-related mortality, with inactive individuals facing a 20–30 per cent higher risk of death than those who are active.

For pregnant and postpartum women, regular activity reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, delivery complications, postpartum depression, and newborn complications. The WHO confirms that exercise does not adversely affect birthweight and does not increase the risk of stillbirth.

WHO guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week for pregnant women, complemented by muscle-strengthening exercises. Women accustomed to vigorous activity before pregnancy may continue high-intensity workouts if medically cleared. Guidelines also stress hydration, avoiding overheating, pelvic floor exercises, and steering clear of activities with high fall or trauma risk. Even small amounts of activity are encouraged, as they confer measurable health benefits.

Guidance from the American Medical Association sets weight-lifting limits for uncomplicated pregnancies, permitting repetitive lifting of up to 23 kg in the first 20 weeks. Between weeks 20 and 24, repetitive lifting up to 23 kg is allowed, while after week 24, intermittent lifting should be limited to 11 kg. After week 30, intermittent lifting of up to 11 kg remains the maximum. However, the AMA guidelines do not account for several task-specific factors now considered important, including horizontal reach distance, lift height, spinal rotation, duration of lifting, and the type of hand-to-object grip.

Is heavy lifting safe during pregnancy?

The safety of heavy lifting during pregnancy is a bit more nuanced and depends on multiple factors, including pre-pregnancy fitness, stage of gestation, exercise intensity, and medical oversight.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises caution, recommending avoidance of activities likely to cause abdominal trauma, such as contact sports, downhill skiing, gymnastics, surfing, and horseback riding. Activities with high risk of falls or exposure to extreme heat, like hot yoga, scuba diving, and high-altitude exertion, are discouraged unless the woman is acclimated and medically cleared. However, it does not say anything specific about weight lifting.

It recommends that elite athletes wishing to continue strenuous activity during pregnancy should have a clear understanding of the associated risks, obtain approval from their healthcare providers, and consider reducing resistance loads compared with pre-pregnancy levels. They also caution that “high-impact activities with increased risk of blunt trauma should be avoided, and it is also important that the pregnant elite athlete avoid overheating when performing their sport or participating in intense training.”

A 2013 review found a slightly elevated risk of miscarriage with heavy lifting, though not specifically to do with working out, with “odds ratios ranging between 1.5 and 2.0”, and a Finnish study of physiotherapists indicated an odds ratio of 3.5 for miscarriage linked to frequent heavy lifting.

“Investigations on the relationship between occupational lifting and preterm birth are more limited than for other fetal health outcomes, and the findings more consistently suggest no association,” the review adds.

A Danish cohort study of over 62,000 women reported that lifting loads greater than 20 kg more than ten times a day increased the risk of preterm birth, demonstrating a dose–response effect.

The American Pregnancy Association advises caution, noting that “women should avoid lifting heavy objects while pregnant. However, if you are going to lift any object, it is important to exercise caution. For some women, lifting heavy objects can lead to an increased risk of premature labour and low birth weight. Lifting an object incorrectly, whether heavy or not, can also result in a pulled muscle. A potentially severe complication from heavy lifting is a hernia.”

Few studies in recent years have also looked at the impact of power lifting and deadlifts on maternal and foetal health, with some saying that it is safe as long as it is done by experienced athletes, after due clearances.

“Female athletes experienced in heavy resistance exercise, who continue training during pregnancy and postpartum, do not face increased pregnancy complications. These findings provide evidence supporting safety of such exercise,” according to a  2025 study, but they also “highlight the need for a confirmatory study under full clinical supervision.”

Another study in the British Medical Journal’s BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine echoes these findings saying that “highly active women, especially those with resistance training experience, can safely engage in a heavy-load resistance protocol, including supine exercise, without jeopardising fetal well-being.” (sic.) Another study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine also says that such exercises are “well tolerated” by athletic mothers and foetuses, “including while using the Valsalva manoeuvre,” which is essentially a breathing method that weightlifters use.

However, it is important to note that most of these studies are speaking of women that already have experience with power lifting and heavy resistance trainings. The NHS warns that “if you were not active before you got pregnant, do not suddenly take up strenuous exercise.”

What doctors recommend

Dr Mansi Sharma, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospitals, Pune, said that exercise during pregnancy should never be treated as a one-size-fits-all plan. “It is always an individualised approach depending on the woman’s health and pregnancy condition,” she explained. For women with uncomplicated pregnancies, aerobic and strength training exercises can usually be continued safely, but with certain precautions.

“There is always a caution against heavy weightlifting,” Dr Sharma said. “Instead of lifting heavy loads, we advise strength and resistance training using lighter weights with higher repetitions, and always under professional supervision.”

She added that the body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, including hormonal shifts such as the release of relaxin, which softens ligaments and increases joint flexibility. “Because of these changes, maintaining proper posture and technique during exercise becomes extremely important. If posture is poor or muscle support is lacking, it can lead to spasms or even injury.”

Dr Sharma also advised against exercises that involve lying flat on the back for long durations, as this can cause vena caval compression. “Heavy barbell or overhead lifts should be avoided too, as they may lead to joint instability or loss of balance, especially in the later stages of pregnancy,” she said.

According to her, women should focus more on stability, posture, and muscle endurance rather than heavy lifting. Those who have been training before pregnancy may continue exercising under expert guidance with reduced loads and proper form. “But for women who have not exercised before, attempting heavy lifting during pregnancy can do more harm than good,” she added.

Dr Sharma also cautioned that heavy lifting increases intra-abdominal pressure, which can be risky during pregnancy. “The idea is not to stop exercising,” she said, “but to do it wisely, safely, and under supervision.”