BIRTHFIT Podcast Episode 285: The 140 BPM Rule: Where It Came From, Why It Won't Die, and What to Use Instead

"Keep your heart rate under 140" is still one of the most common things pregnant women hear. In this episode, Dr. Lindsey covers where the number came from in 1985, why ACOG dropped it in 1994, and why it quietly showed up again in 2020. She explains why heart rate is a shaky gauge in pregnancy and shares four better tools: the talk test, perceived exertion, heart rate trends, and HRV.

 

Sources:

• Evenson KR, Hesketh KR. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021

• ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804, 2020

• Bauer PW et al. J Womens Health. 2010

• 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity Throughout Pregnancy, Br J Sports Med

 

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