title: Physical activity before and during pregnancy and duration of second stage of labor among Hispanic women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study a possible association between physical activity and the duration of second stage of labor among Hispanic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated this relationship in the Latina Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Study, a prospective cohort of Hispanic obstetric patients. The Kaiser Physical Activity Survey was used to collect information on physical activity in prepregnancy, early pregnancy and mid-pregnancy. Duration of labor was abstracted from medical records. A total of 725 women with a singleton pregnancy and a spontaneous vaginal delivery were included, which yielded > 80% power to detect a clinically meaningful mean difference of 30 minutes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration of second-stage of labor was 34.3 min (SD 42.02). After adjusting for established risk factors, no significant differences in duration of labor were observed among women according to physical activity level in prepregnancy, early pregnancy, or midpregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings confirm prior literature demonstrating the absence of an association between physical activity and duration of labor.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003-9304, USA.
authors.forename: Prasad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gawade
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pekow
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Markenson
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plevyak
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chasan-Taber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007748:Labor Stage, Second / Q000502:physiology*; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult