title: The effect of physical exercise on postpartum fitness, hormone and lipid levels: a randomized controlled trial in primiparous, lactating women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of an exercise training program combining low-impact dance aerobic, resistance and stretching exercise on physical fitness, hormone and lipid levels of postpartum, primiparous, lactating women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty seven primiparous, lactating women were randomly assigned at 4-6 weeks postpartum to either follow an exercise training program of 50-60 min aerobic, strengthening and stretching exercise, 3 days a week, for 12 weeks (interventional group; n = 20) or no training program at all (control group; n = 17). The following parameters were measured at baseline and 12 weeks later: (1) for evaluation of physical fitness: VO2max, muscular endurance, joint mobility and body fat; (2) for evaluation of the lipidemic profile: triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL levels, and (3) levels of hormones associated with lactation: prolactin, estradiol, cortisol, TSH, fT3 and fT4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After completion of the exercise training program, comparisons between the interventional and the control group showed statistically significant mean changes in VO2max (p = 0.003), muscular endurance of the upper extremities (p < 0.001), and the abdomen (p < 0.001), flexibility (p = 0.042), and body fat (p = 0.007). There were no significant differences between the two groups in mean changes of lipid and hormone levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implementation of a low-impact exercise training program appears to improve physical fitness of postpartum women, while it does not seem to affect lipid levels and lactation-associated hormone levels. Hence, implementation of an exercise training program combining low-impact dance aerobic, resistance and stretching exercise is feasible in postpartum, primiparous, lactating women.
authors.affiliation: School of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zourladani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zafrakas
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chatzigiannis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Papasozomenou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vavilis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matziari
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003615:Dancing; D015444:Exercise; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010298:Parity; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness; D049590:Postpartum Period; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol