For people who work hard at staying fit and healthy or are heavily involved in a sport, pregnancy can seem like an enforced period of rest. Such people are often apprehensive about keeping up workout or training programs. Studies are indicating, however, that they shouldn't be too concerned.

Women who are physically fit before and during pregnancy have been proven to develop fewer complications, gain less weight and give birth to healthier babies. On the other hand, pregnancy does demand that women who are trying to keep active understand the limitations and safety precautions needed to ensure fetal health.

Erica Myers-Russo, a mother of two from Griswold, Conn., was very concerned about keeping up her active lifestyle during her first pregnancy. "During the first pregnancy I was much more concerned about the baby," says Myers-Russo. "During the second pregnancy, I had much greater awareness of how my increased fitness was helping my baby, and also I had much greater confidence in my body's ability to get through the pregnancy and handle what I was doing."

Myers-Russo made sure to remain hydrated and listened to her body during aerobics, but other than that, she considered keeping up with her various exercise activities to be essential to her physical and emotional well-being.

Jon Chipko is a pre and postnatal certified strength and conditioning coach and founder of Bodygoals.com. He believes research has now proven that exercise during pregnancy is beneficial as long as some basic precautions are taken and the workouts are not taken to the extreme.

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