Dancing while pregnant?

Is dancing while pregnant safe? I'm currently in a dance class and we stretch and do leaps or splits, fish rolls, etc. It's not anything I'm not used to but could this lead to a miscarriage?

[JoyRenee]

I was in dance before I got pregnant. And while stretching is okay, the leaps and splits are going to be impossible. You could tear something. I'm not sure you could miscarry but you're going to be getting larger and larger. Keep up the stretching, but don't do the dancing (even spins could throw baby for a loop and make you probably want to puke). Pick dance up after you give birth!

[diva_lorri]

i was told that anything ur body is used to is ok... however splits might not be in that catagory lol. maybe check with ur ob/gyn just to ease ur mind.
all the best + congrats!

[martikadragoon]

You should dance until you feel uncomfortable dancing, but keep the leaps and splits to an absolute minimum.

The reason? When your pregnant your body produces a hormone (relaxin?) that causes your joints to loosen up, making you more suseptible to sprains and strains. Even if you stretch, and once you hit about 4-6mo. it'll be nearly impossible to continue because of the belly in the way. I've heard of women doing salsa and belly dancing thru theyre whole pregnancy, but nothing w/tumbles and leaps.

Cindie