BACKGROUND
Margie Davenport was the Chair of the SOGC/CSEP 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy, and the upcoming Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Sleep in the first year postpartum. This work led to the development of the Get Active Questionnaire for Pregnancy, and the CSEP Pre & Postnatal Exercise Specialization. Over the last decade she has worked with a number of National/International organizations including FIFA, the World Health Organization, International Olympic Committee, Sport Canada, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine to support physical activity during and following pregnancy.
EDUCATION
Dr. Davenport is an exercise physiologist and Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. She holds the Christenson Professorship in Active Healthy Living and is the Director of the Program for Pregnancy and Postpartum Health www.exerciseandpregnancy.ca; established 2013). Dr. Davenport received her PhD from the University of Western Ontario in 2010 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary in 2012.
EXPERTISE
As a former National Team Athlete, much of her current work is focused on recreational and elite pregnant/postpartum athletes. Her research program has worked to address previously "taboo" topics such as high intensity/long duration exercise, heavy weightlifting, and contact sport during and following pregnancy. She also conducts research investigating the impact of physical activity and sleep in complex pregnancies such as congenital heart disease, type 1 diabetes and twin pregnancies on cardio-metabolic health of both mother and baby.