I'm pregnant! Should I worry about relaxin when exercising?

Pregnancy comes with so many changes — and one hormone that often gets blamed for “loose joints,” instability, and pain is relaxin.
But is relaxin really the cause of injury? Or is the story more complicated?

In this video, we break down exactly what the science says about relaxin during pregnancy.
You’ll learn:

✨ What relaxin actually does
✨ Why ligament “loosening” is a normal and adaptive part of pregnancy
✨ Whether relaxin is linked to pain or injury (spoiler: the evidence isn’t what most people think)
✨ What you can do to feel strong, stable, and supported as your body changes
✨ Why posture changes and joint laxity don’t automatically equal weakness

This video uses credible, peer-reviewed research to help you feel informed and confident in your pregnant body — without fear-based messaging.

References included:
• Association between serum relaxin and active straight leg raise test in pregnancy (PubMed)
• Peripheral joint laxity increases in pregnancy but does not correlate with serum relaxin (PubMed)
• Characterisation of the relationship between joint laxity and maternal hormones (PubMed)
• Relaxin levels and pelvic girdle pain: systematic review (PubMed)
• Relaxin’s roles in vascular and connective tissue changes (PubMed)
• Case reports on collagen turnover and soft tissue injury
• The relationship between weekly relaxin levels and knee joint laxity (PubMed)

If you’re pregnant, supporting someone who is, or just curious about how hormones impact movement — this video is for you.

🙌 About This Channel
Hi, I’m Hope — a fitness professional with 8 years of experience. I create science-based fitness content to help you train smarter, understand your body better, and cut through myths that cause confusion.
I believe in body autonomy, evidence-based training, and empowering people to make informed choices about their health and wellbeing — not chasing unsustainable goals or pseudoscience.
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