I've been an athlete all my life. Now I'm pregnant for the first time. Will I still be able to play noncompetitively? My favorite sports are soccer and volleyball.
Your doctor is the best one to advise you on this. There is a hormone called relaxin that helps joints and soft tissues around the joints relax or loosen up.
Some studies have looked at the amount of knee joint laxity (looseness) during pregnancy. Relaxin levels go up in the first three months and then decrease after that. Knee laxity increases in all three trimesters of pregnancy.
There are concerns about joint injuries because of hormonal changes. Other changes in pregnancy added to this one suggest caution is needed when joining in team sports.
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