Effects of recommended levels of physical activity on pregnancy outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine the relation between recommended levels of physical activity during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.


METHODS
We conducted an observational study with energy expenditure, aerobic fitness, and sleeping heart rate measured in 44 healthy women in late pregnancy. Medical records were examined for pregnancy outcome.


RESULTS
Active women, who engaged in > or = 30 minutes of moderate physical activity per day, had significantly better fitness and lower sleeping heart rate compared to the inactive. Duration of second stage of labor was 88 and 146 minutes in the active vs inactive women, respectively (P = .05). Crude odds ratio of operative delivery in the inactive vs the active was 3.7 (95% confidence interval, 0.87-16.08). Birthweight, maternal weight gain, and parity adjusted odds ratio was 7.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-45.8). Neonatal condition and other obstetric outcomes were similar between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Active women have better aerobic fitness as compared to inactive women. The risk for operative delivery is lower in active women compared to inactive, when controlled for birthweight, maternal weight gain, and parity. Further studies with larger sample size are required to confirm the association between physical activity and pregnancy outcomes.
Melzer
Katarina
K
Institute of Movement Sciences and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospitals of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Schutz
Yves
Y
Soehnchen
Nina
N
Othenin-Girard
Veronique
V
Martinez de Tejada
Begoña
B
Irion
Olivier
O
Boulvain
Michel
M
Kayser
Bengt
B
D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005113:Extraction, Obstetrical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D007748:Labor Stage, Second; D009043:Motor Activity; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013997:Time Factors