Prenatal Fitness Certifications – top Options in 2024

This is an up-to-date review of the best prenatal fitness certifications for training pregnant women. I’ve used these certifications in my 12+ years as a personal trainer and coach. 

Below, I discuss the top prenatal and women’s health certifications, so you can pick the best one for your needs. 

The comparison will be based on the following:

• The Scope and Requirements 
• Pros/cons
• Features of each program
• Why obtaining a prenatal fitness certification can benefit you.

You’ll know which option is better for you at the end of the review.I also highly recommend that you take the quiz and find out which certification is best for your career goals.

CPT	CPT	Features	Price
	NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist	Skills for all aspects of training women Best certification for prenatal fitness training	Check NASM Pricing
	ISSA Prenatal & Postnatal Fitness Instructor	Affordable option ISSA has best bundles	Check ISSA Pricing
	AFPA Pre & Postnatal Exercise Specialist	Complete pregnancy fitness training course	Check AFAA Pricing

Some other beneficial certifications you might be interested in are the top nutrition certifications and some excellent group exercise certifications.

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If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave me a comment here (I’ll respond within 24 hours). 

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Let’s jump right in!

Introduction

As of when I wrote this article, 4 different certifications focus on prenatal fitness. 

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One of the most important things you can do as a pregnant woman is to get out and exercise.

It helps reduce stress and anxiety, increases energy, increases the likelihood of a faster recovery post-birth, helps with shorter labor times and fewer complications, and improves the mother’s self-esteem.

The three certifications that are on the market today covering prenatal fitness are NASM’s Women’s Fitness Specialist, ISSA’s Prenatal and Postnatal Instructor exercise course, and AFPA’s pre/ postpartum exercise specialist certification. Also, ACE’s Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Instructor Training course is another option as well. 

I think these certifications do a fantastic job with their course material.

These advanced certifications will make you a better trainer and have the potential for you to make more money. Let’s dive into the prenatal fitness certifications so you can figure out if either would be an excellent addition to your knowledge Arsenal as a personal trainer!

NASM Women’s Fitness Specialization

Women have specific needs that go beyond male general fitness requirements. Pregnancy, in particular, entails several exercise adjustments that you should be aware of if you plan to train women during this time.

The NASM Women’s Fitness Specialist certification provides the most comprehensive curriculum for training women in pre- and post-partum stages.

In this course, you will learn some of the key modifications to consider when training pregnant women.

For example, women should avoid certain positions at each phase of pregnancy. If you train pregnant clients, you need to know which exercises require modification for training pregnant women.

You’ll also learn how to tailor programming based on women at different ages, and psychological motivational techniques that may help you inspire your female clients. 

ISSA’s Prenatal and Postnatal Instructor exercise course

The ISSA Prenatal and Postnatal course focuses more specifically on training during the stages of pregnancy than NASM’s program.

Exercise during pregnancy can reduce back pain, low risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia.

ISSA teaches the proper exercise modifications needed during and after pregnancy. You also learn nutritional requirements, safety and risk management, and how to create an exercise program for someone before, during, and after pregnancy. 

While this course isn’t a full fledged certification the ISSA Prenatal and Postnatal Exercise Instructor Training does cover all the basics you’ll need to know. You also get access to various training tools, videos along with worksheets to study and you can split the course up into payments. 

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Let’s talk about AFPA’s Pre- & Post-natal exercise specialist certification.

Compared to ACE, AFPA offers full-fledged accreditation in pre-and postnatal exercise.

The textbook is much larger than what ACE provides.

The information is laid out similarly but it goes more in-depth.

You will learn all about making effective yet safe routines for your clients.

One of the most significant differences is that it focuses on group exercise training and one-on-one training for pregnant women.

As of the time of my writing this article, the certification will cost you $395.

With this package, you get three separate textbooks, a set of instructional DVDs, and an entrance to take the exam.

Every primary certifying agency that I checked (including NASM) will accept this certification as continuing education credits.

So if you need any now, this might be a good option for you!

Here is what you get out of the AFPA course

1. You will be taught how exercise affects the physiological systems of pregnant women.
2. You will be taught about adaptations that happen during pregnancy and the effective exercise of these adaptations.
3. You will understand all of the benefits exercises have on the fetus and the mother.
4. You will be taught how to relieve discomfort from pregnancy using different exercises.
5. You will learn how to progress or regress your pregnant client through the term of their pregnancy.
6. You will have an excellent understanding of the nutritional needs of pregnant women through the different stages of their pregnancy.

ACE Pre- and Post-natal exercise course

The information that ACE provides is meant more for individuals that only need continuing education credits.

That is why in this article, I am calling it a course compared to certification.

Don’t get me wrong; it still has fantastic information on pre-and postnatal fitness.

The most significant difference between the ACE course and the AFPA certification is that ACE does not discuss nutrition as much.

It primarily discusses fitness and exercise routines and how they apply to pregnant women.

As of the time of me writing this article, the ACE course costs $79.

Most of the major certifying agencies accept this course as continuing education.

For only $80, I think it is a great deal (regarding continuing education) because the curriculum goes pretty in-depth.

It is not the easiest to find this course on the ACE website.

To see it, you must go to the search bar on the site and search for postnatal exercise.

Here is what you will get out of the ACE course

1. You will be taught about all of the benefits of working out before and after pregnancy.
2. You will be able to make effective and safe workout routines based on the goals of your pregnant clients.
3. You will be taught about the risks related to exercise in the development of the fetus.
4. You will learn why exercise helps speed recovery after birth.

Conclusion on prenatal fitness certifications

If you have pregnant or are planning on working with pregnant clients, either one of these would be a good option for you.

Exercises for pre-and postnatal fitness are entirely different than for regular individuals.

Not only that but the exercises and diet should change as the woman goes through the different trimesters.

Another certification that I recommend getting alongside this one is a health coach certification.

This certification focuses on habit formation and increasing the overall wellness of your clients.

I also have a fantastic article on how to become a health coach; you should check that out! I hope you liked my article about pre-and postnatal fitness.

If it was helpful to you, please share it on social media or tell your friends about it!

If you go through either of the certifications, you can help your friends and family out whenever they are pregnant.

They will be incredibly grateful for your help!