title: A program of exercise throughout pregnancy. Is it safe to mother and newborn?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a program of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on maternal and fetal parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place at the Hospital of Fuenlabrada in Madrid, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analyzed were 200 pregnant women (31.54 ± 3.86 years), all of whom had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these subjects, 107 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 93 to the control group (CG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Women from EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included a total of 55- to 60-minute weekly sessions, 3 days per week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancy outcomes. Maternal: gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, blood pressure during pregnancy, gestational diabetes (n/%). Fetal: birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student's unpaired t-test and χ (2) test were used; p values of ≤ .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significantly more pregnant women in the CG who gained excessive weight during their pregnancies than in the EG group (CG: N = 31, 35.6% versus N = 22, 21.2%; χ(2) = 4.95; p =.02). The effect size was small (Phi value =.16). Other pregnancy outcome showed no differences between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A regular and moderate physical exercise program throughout pregnancy is not a risk to maternal and fetal well-being, and it helps to control excessive weight gain.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barakat
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perales
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bacchi
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coteron
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Refoyo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Health focus: physical activity; Manuscript format: research; Maternal; Outcome measure: behavioral; Physical Exercise; Pregnancy Outcomes; Prevention Research; Research purpose: intervention testing; Setting: health care; Strategy: behavior change, culture change; Study design: randomized trial; Target population age: adults; Target population circumstances: education; Weight Gain