Exercise and physical activity in pregnancy

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.1093/med/9780198722700.003.0029 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Sir Peter Gluckman ◽

Mark Hanson ◽

Chong Yap Seng ◽

Anne Bardsley

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Late Gestation ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Healthy Weight ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Aerobic Conditioning ◽

In Pregnancy

Exercise has many beneficial effects for pregnant women and their offspring, reducing insulin resistance and blood pressure and supporting angiogenesis, while also helping to maintain a healthy weight and body composition. Exercise/physical activity also been reported to reduce the risks of large for gestational age/small for gestational age babies and of preterm birth. Moderate exercise of 30 minutes or more on most days is recommended. Reasonable goals of aerobic conditioning in pregnancy should be to maintain a good fitness level throughout pregnancy without trying to reach peak fitness level or train for athletic competition. However, extreme exercise in late gestation is cautioned against, as it is associated with lower birth weights and the possibility of long-term adverse consequences on the offspring.

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Obesity and Gestational Diabetes in Pregnant Care and Clinical Practice

Current Vascular Pharmacology ◽

10.2174/1570161118666200628142353 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 154-164

Author(s):

José Andrés Poblete ◽

Pablo Olmos

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Later Life ◽

Nutrition Therapy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Moderate Physical Activity ◽

Increased Risk

: Obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are the most frequent pathologies affecting mothers and offspring during pregnancy. Both conditions have shown a sustained increase in their prevalence in recent years, and they worsen the outcome of pregnancy and the long-term health of mothers. Obesity increases the risk of GDM and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and elevates the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in later life. Offspring of obese mothers have an increased risk of obstetric morbidity and mortality and, consistent with the developmental origins of health and disease, a long term risk of childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction. On the other hand, GDM also increases the risk of pre-eclampsia, caesarean section, and up to 50% of women will develop type 2 diabetes later in life. From a fetal point of view, it increases the risk of macrosomia, large-for-gestational-age fetuses, shoulder dystocia and birth trauma. The insulin resistance and inflammatory mediators released by a hypoxic trophoblast are mainly responsible for the poor pregnancy outcome in obese or GDM patients. The adequate management of both pathologies includes modifications in the diet and physical activity. Drug therapy should be considered when medical nutrition therapy and moderate physical activity fail to achieve treatment goals. The antenatal prediction of macrosomia is a challenge for physicians. The timing and the route of delivery should consider adequate metabolic control, gestational age, and optimal conditions for a vaginal birth. The best management of these pathologies includes pre-conception planning to reduce the risks during pregnancy and improve the quality of life of these patients.

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Prediction of large-for-gestational age infants in relation to hyperglycemia in pregnancy – a comparison of statistical models

Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice ◽

10.1016/j.diabres.2021.108975 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108975

Author(s):

Kristen S. GIBBONS ◽

Allan M.Z. CHANG ◽

Ronald C.W. MA ◽

Wing Hung TAM ◽

Patrick M. CATALANO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gestational Age ◽

Statistical Models ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

In Pregnancy

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Senior Dance Experience, Cognitive Performance, and Brain Volume in Older Women

Neural Plasticity ◽

10.1155/2016/9837321 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Claudia Niemann ◽

Ben Godde ◽

Claudia Voelcker-Rehage

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Functioning ◽

Older Women ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Motor Fitness

Physical activity is positively related to cognitive functioning and brain volume in older adults. Interestingly, different types of physical activity vary in their effects on cognition and on the brain. For example, dancing has become an interesting topic in aging research, as it is a popular leisure activity among older adults, involving cardiovascular and motor fitness dimensions that can be positively related to cognition. However, studies on brain structure are missing. In this study, we tested the association of long-term senior dance experience with cognitive performance and gray matter brain volume in older women aged 65 to 82 years. We compared nonprofessional senior dancers (n=28) with nonsedentary control group participants without any dancing experience (n=29), who were similar in age, education, IQ score, lifestyle and health factors, and fitness level. Differences neither in the four tested cognitive domains (executive control, perceptual speed, episodic memory, and long-term memory) nor in brain volume (VBM whole-brain analysis, region-of-interest analysis of the hippocampus) were observed. Results indicate that moderate dancing activity (1-2 times per week, on average) has no additional effects on gray matter volume and cognitive functioning when a certain lifestyle or physical activity and fitness level are reached.

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Serum Microelements in Early Pregnancy and their Risk of Large-for-Gestational Age Birth Weight

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12030866 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 866 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Małgorzata Lewandowska ◽

Jan Lubiński

Keyword(s):

Birth Weight ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Female Fetus ◽

Appropriate For Gestational Age ◽

Nested Case Control ◽

Relationship Of

Excessive birth weight has serious perinatal consequences, and it “programs” long-term health. Mother’s nutritional status can be an important element in fetal “programming”; microelements such as selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) are involved in many metabolic processes. However, there are no studies assessing the relationship of the microelements in the peri-conceptual period with the risk of excessive birth weight. We performed a nested case control study of serum microelements’ levels in the 10–14th week of pregnancy and assessed the risk of large-for-gestational age (LGA) newborns using the data from a prospective cohort of pregnant women recruited in 2015–2016 in Poznań, Poland. Mothers delivering LGA newborns (n = 66) were examined with matched mothers delivering appropriate-for-gestational age (AGA) newborns (n = 264). Microelements’ levels were quantified using mass spectrometry. The odds ratios of LGA (and 95% confidence intervals) were calculated by multivariate logistic regression. In the whole group, women with the lowest quartile of Se had a 3 times higher LGA risk compared with women in the highest Se quartile (AOR = 3.00; p = 0.013). Importantly, the result was sustained in the subgroup of women with the normal pre-pregnancy BMI (AOR = 4.79; p = 0.033) and in women with a male fetus (AOR = 6.28; p = 0.004), but it was not sustained in women with a female fetus. There were no statistical associations between Zn, Cu, and Fe levels and LGA. Our study provides some preliminary evidence for the relationships between lower serum Se levels in early pregnancy and a higher risk of large-for-gestational age birth weight. Appropriate Se intake in the periconceptual period may be important for optimal fetal growth.

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Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Pregnancy and the Birth Weight Distribution: Where Is the Effect?

Journal of Physical Activity and Health ◽

10.1123/jpah.9.8.1168 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 1168-1177 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Lanay M. Mudd ◽

Jim Pivarnik ◽

Claudia B. Holzman ◽

Nigel Paneth ◽

Karin Pfeiffer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Birth Weight ◽

Quantile Regression ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Weight Distribution ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Birth Weight Distribution

Background:Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is recommended during pregnancy and has been associated with lower risk of delivering a large infant. We sought to characterize the effect of LTPA across the entire birth weight distribution.Methods:Women enrolled in the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study (1998–2004) were followed-up in 2007. Follow-up efforts were extensive for a subcohort and minimal for the remainder (nonsubcohort). Thus, 596 subcohort and 418 nonsubcohort women who delivered at term participated. Offspring were categorized as small-, appropriate-, or large-for-gestational-age (SGA, AGA, and LGA, respectively) based on gender and gestational age-specific birth weight z-scores (BWz). At follow-up, women recalled pregnancy LTPA and were classified as inactive, insufficiently active or meeting LTPA recommendations. Linear, logistic, and quantile regression analyses were conducted separately by subcohort status.Results:Meeting LTPA recommendations decreased odds of LGA significantly among the nonsubcohort (aOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14–0.64) and nonsignificantly among the subcohort (aOR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.34–1.34). In quantile regression, meeting LTPA recommendations reduced BWz among the upper quantiles in the nonsubcohort.Conclusions:LTPA during pregnancy lowered odds of LGA and reduced BWz among the upper quantiles, without shifting the entire distribution. LTPA during pregnancy may be useful for reducing risks of large fetal size.

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The effect of prenatal maternal physical activity and lifestyle in perinatal outcome: results from a Greek study

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz223 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 328-332

Author(s):

Maria G Babili ◽

Charalampia Amerikanou ◽

Efstathia Papada ◽

Georgios Christopoulos ◽

Chara Tzavara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Vaginal Delivery ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Educational Level ◽

Activity Level ◽

Activity Score ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Sports Activity ◽

Anthropometric Characteristics

Abstract Background Several maternal characteristics, including lifestyle, have been associated with perinatal outcomes and birth anthropometric characteristics of the offspring. This study aimed to identify whether physical activity (PA) and other lifestyle parameters of the mother are associated with the pregnancy outcomes or with the infant’s birth anthropometric characteristics. Methods Participants were recruited in Mitera Maternity Hospital, Athens, Greece. Socio-demographic, medical history and anthropometric assessment took place. PA during pregnancy was assessed with the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Dietary assessment was conducted with the Food Frequency Questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated with the MedDiet score. Birth weight and gestational age data were also collected. Results Sedentary-intensity activity scores increased with increased educational level, while moderate-intensity activity scores decreased with increased educational level. Pregnant women who delivered large for gestational age infants had lower sports activity score. Higher vigorous and sports activity score was demonstrated in cases with a vaginal delivery compared with caesarean section. PA score was significantly and positively correlated with several nutrient intakes and PA was higher in women with a healthier nutritional pattern. Increased MedDiet scores were found in mothers with increased educational level. Conclusions Overall, PA was higher in women with a healthier nutritional pattern. An increased vs. a low activity level during pregnancy is positively associated with vaginal delivery and with the size of the offspring.

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Weight gain in pregnancy: is less truly more for mother and infant?

Obstetric Medicine ◽

10.1258/om.2012.120004 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 58-64 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Linda A Barbour

Keyword(s):

Weight Gain ◽

Gestational Weight Gain ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Neonatal Morbidity ◽

Current Data ◽

Large For Gestational Age ◽

Institute Of Medicine ◽

Gestational Weight ◽

The Relationship ◽

In Pregnancy

SUMMARY Although more than 50% of women gain weight above the Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for weight gain in pregnancy and excessive weight gain is an independent risk factor for significant maternal and neonatal morbidity and offspring obesity, there is little consensus over the ideal weight gain during pregnancy. Surprisingly, the 2009 IOM guidelines varied minimally from the 1990 IOM guidelines, and many critics advocate lower weight gain recommendations. This review explores the energy costs of pregnancy, the relationship between gestational weight gain and birth weight, and considers what gestational weight gain minimizes both large-for-gestational age as well as small-for-gestational age infants. An extensive examination of the current data leads this author to question whether the current weight gain recommendations are too liberal, especially for obese pregnant women.

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