Leisure time physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of preterm delivery.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to study the association between the times spent on sports activities and leisure time physical activity in the first and early second trimester of pregnancy and the risk of preterm delivery.


METHODS
Population-based follow-up study of 5749 healthy pregnant women who delivered in Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.


RESULTS
Women who practiced more than 1 type of sports had a significantly reduced adjusted risk (odds ratio = 0.09 95% CI, 0.01-0.66) of preterm delivery compared with women with no sports activity. Compared with sedentary pregnant women, women engaged in light leisure time physical activity had a 24% nonsignificantly reduced adjusted risk (odds ratio = 0.76, 95% CI, 0.60-1.02) of preterm delivery and those engaged in moderate-to-heavy leisure time activity had a 66% reduced adjusted risk (odds ratio = 0.34, 95% CI, 0.14-0.85).


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate-to-heavy leisure time physical activity during pregnancy is associated with a significantly reduced risk of preterm delivery.
Hegaard
Hanne K
HK
Unit of Caring Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Hedegaard
Morten
M
Damm
Peter
P
Ottesen
Bent
B
Petersson
Kerstin
K
Henriksen
Tine Brink
TB
D000328:Adult; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011998:Recreation; D012307:Risk Factors