Physical activity should be a permanent part of everyone’s daily routine. Pregnancy seems to be an ideal time to reflect on one’s lifestyle and a great opportunity to start working out. Regular exercising while being pregnant not only prepares a woman for labour, but also increases the functional efficiency of her body, improves general physical fitness and positively affects her well-being. Physical activity during pregnancy is still an open topic, which divides professionals from various countries. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) promote physical exercise during pregnancy, while the Polish Gynecological Society (PTG) does not recommend it. Doubts on this subject could be dispelled by the position of the World Health Organization (WHO), but so far WHO has not made a clear stance on undertaking physical activity by pregnant women. This article presents both the advantages of undertaking physical activity during pregnancy and contraindications to doing so. It presents recommendations regarding undertaking physical activity in successive trimesters and information on abdominal muscle training during pregnancy. The aim of the study is to increase the awareness of women to the topic on physical activity during pregnancy, as well as informing them of the rules of its taking and continuing.

Key words: physical activity, pregnancy, exercise, healthy lifestyle.