Adherence to ACOG guidelines on exercise during pregnancy: effect on pregnancy outcome.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the extent to which exercising women adhered to the ACOG guidelines on exercise during pregnancy and the effect of nonadherence on pregnancy outcome.


METHODS
Nonexperimental, retrospective survey.


METHODS
Two national physical fitness conferences.


METHODS
One hundred seventy-three women who exercised during their pregnancies.


METHODS
Maternal weight gain, neonatal birth weight, occurrence of cesarean delivery, and gestational age of newborn.


RESULTS
Eighty-three percent of the women knew of the ACOG guidelines. A total of 87 (53%) adhered to the guidelines. Women who exercised with heart rate intensities above 150 beats per minute, for durations longer than 40 minutes through the 3rd trimester, or both had no significant difference in maternal weight gain, fetal birth weight, or gestational age of the newborn (p > .05) than those who exercised more moderately. The long-duration and moderate-intensity groups had significantly fewer cesarean deliveries (p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Women who exercised regularly before conceiving and who had uncomplicated pregnancies did not adversely affect their own or their offsprings' health by exercising in excess of the ACOG guidelines.
Zeanah
M
M
Department of Physical Education, University of Montevallo, AL.
Schlosser
S P
SP
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing; D009774:Obstetrics; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016742:Preconception Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain