A group of 62 healthy primigravidae aged 20 to 26 years participated in an investigation concerning physical work capacity and cardiovascular dynamics during pregnancy and the effect of physical training beginning in the 10th or 14th week of pregnancy and lasting until term. The training group consisted of 31 women who were examined every 4 weeks throughout pregnancy, the last examination occurring in the 38th week. The randonmly selected control group consisted of 31 women who were examined in the 10th or 14th, in the 26th, and in the 38th week of pregnancy. During the examination the pulse rate and blood pressure were measured in the left lateral position after rest, in the sitting position, and at nearly maximal exertion. The pulse-conducted triangular ECG test was used for determination of physical work capacity. All forms of voluntary exercise were allowed and recommended to the training group, emphasizing strenuous physical exertion. The physical work capacity in the control group spontaneously rose 10% during pregnancy and was 95.8 +/- 10.2% of the non-pregnant reference value in the 38th week of pregnancy. The increase in physical work capacity in the training group was 17.6% (p < 0.001) more than in the control group. Slightly reduced heart rate and systolic blood pressure were also found in the training group, but the differences were not significant when compared with the values in the control group. No negative effects from the training program were observed.

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