Is It Safe To Exercise In Your Third Trimester?

When Ferne McCann, a former reality star and social media personality from the UK, posted an exercise video recently, it created a bit of a stir among her fans — because McCann just entered her third trimester of pregnancy.

Several of the fans were concerned about McCann's safety, and that she was modeling what they thought was unsafe behavior for pregnant people.

"I don’t want you damaging yourself or the baby," one commenter wrote.

Several of the commenters were particularly worried about Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD), when a person's pelvic bones split apart during pregnancy.

Yet, others weren't bothered seeing her pregnant body working out, and came to McCann's defense. "It's perfectly fine if she's had the advice of her midwife or lead health care professional. SPD isn't caused by exercising, it's just an unfortunate condition some women get during pregnancy," one person wrote. "It's not a reason for someone who doesn't have SPD to stop doing these things as she's perfectly healthy."

Since there's so much confusion, let us reassure you: It is definitely safe to continue exercising during your third trimester of pregnancy — as long as you have a doctor's okay.

In fact, the CDC recommends that pregnant people get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week, which can include brisk walking, biking, swimming, and running. Continuing to do aerobic exercise keeps your heart and lungs healthy, according to the CDC. While your workouts may have to change over time during a pregnancy, it's still safe to continue exercising even in your third trimester unless a doctor tells you otherwise.

And remember, McCann is working out with the aid of a trained fitness expert, so she's likely in good hands. Still, not everyone can or wants to continuing going to the gym or working out as hard as they did pre-pregnancy, and that's totally fine, too.

As McCann says, she's working out for her, because she feels like "it's good for the mind, body, and soul." What anyone else thinks doesn't matter — whether or not working out is good for her body is up to McCann and her doctor.