A few decades ago many couples decided to get away from their pets when they were expecting a baby. And although currently experts indicate that living with animals does not have to be harmful to pregnancy, there are still those who believe otherwise. Nothing could be further from the truth; studies show that dogs bring great benefits to women during the pregnancy.
Among all of them, the project published by the magazine Plos One in 2012, carried out by scientists from the university of liverpool (UK). It concludes that pregnant women who live with one or more dogs perform more physical activity, something that benefits both the physical and psychological state of mothers and babies. The absence of exercise, on the contrary, can cause problems such as obesity or difficulties in blood circulation.
Sharing our home with these animals forces us to walk more often, something that also benefits us during the gestation period. "They help to carry out the 150 minutes of weekly physical activity that is recommended on average during pregnancy," explains the doctor. Carrie Westgarth, study participant. "Although having a dog has already been shown to increase physical activity in adults in general, this is the first study to assess this relationship in pregnant women," he adds.
This study was carried out by analyzing a total of 11.000 pregnant women, of which those who had a dog as a pet were 50% more likely to practice the recommended amount of exercise in this state, about 30 minutes a day. In addition, the analysis determined that the owners of large breeds walk at a brighter pace than those who walk small dogs.
Walking is not the only factor associated with these pets that benefits pregnant women. The Happy moments that we live next to him help us to release endorphins, speeding up our metabolism and creating a series of beneficial chemical reactions for the body. In addition, they promote a good mental state that positively influences the development of the baby.