6 Yoga Poses To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy, or the child–bearing period, is a time when your entire body is under the influence of certain hormones that are responsible for maintaining the pregnancy in you. As a result, you feel a number of discomfitures such as breathlessness, fatigue, nausea, and giddiness.

Your body is in a delicate situation health-wise, and though general activity and mobility is recommended for pregnant women to ensure easy delivery, the pregnant woman is restricted from performing certain physical activities, and this holds true in the case of yoga poses. A pregnant lady should avoid yoga poses such as deep forward bends, deep twists, lying-on-back poses, abs exercises, inversions, and deep backbends, as these poses have an adverse effect on her body as well as that of the fetus within.

Yoga Exercises To Avoid During Pregnancy

Deep Forward Bends

Deep forward bending poses such as Paschimottasana (Seated forward bending) and Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) are prohibited during pregnancy, as these exercises constrict the blood vessels and nerves that connect the uterus to the rest of the body, thereby restricting the blood supply and neural transmissions to and from the uterus. This may have a serious adverse affect on the fetus.

Lying-on-Back Yoga Poses

The yoga poses which require you to lie on your back such as Savasana (Corpse Pose), Naukasana (Boat Pose), Matsyasana  Fish Pose), Pavanmuktasana (Wind Release Pose) should be avoided while in pregnancy, at least from the 2nd trimester, when the pregnant women are generally asked to not even rest on their backs.

This is because in this position, the heavy uterus will prevent the free flow of blood and nutrients to the fetus. The mother, on the other hand, may also experience heartburn and her blood pressure may rise.

Abdomen Trimming Yoga Poses

Yoga poses such as Paripurna Navasana (Full Boat Pose), Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose), Vasisthasana (Side Plank Pose), and Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) should be completely avoided as they place pressure on the abdomen, which is undesirable during pregnancy.

These exercises may pull apart the muscles of your abdomen resulting in a condition known as Diastasis Recti, which is an undesirable condition separating the abdominal muscles into two halves.

Excessive Back Bending Poses

Excessive back bending poses such as Salabhasana (Locust Pose), Camatkarasana (Wild Thing Pose), Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Full Wheel Pose) are some of the yoga poses that are best avoided during pregnancy as these poses may also result in Diastasis Recti.

Deep Twist Yoga Poses

Deep twist yoga poses such as Ardhya Matsyendrasana should be avoided as these twists subject your uterus to undue pressure and restrict blood and nutrient circulation to the fetus.

Yoga Inversion Poses

Yoga Inversion poses such as Halasana (Plow Pose), Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose), Adho Mukhavrksasana (Handstand), Sirsasana(Headstand), Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand), Salanga Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand), should be completely avoided as such poses can be dangerous for you and your fetus.

The heavy uterus may disbalance you while you are in the pose causing serious injuries to you and the fetus. The danger of the fetus changing position in your uterus at an inappropriate time also remains, when such exercises are performed during pregnancy.