title: The efficacy of moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise during pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect and safety of moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two antenatal clinics in Gothenburg, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-two healthy pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was administered during gestational weeks 14-25. The intervention group received supervised resistance exercise twice a week, performed at an activity level equivalent to within moderate-to-vigorous (n = 51). The control group received generalized exercise recommendation, a home-based training program and a telephone follow up (n = 41).
  
  
  METHODS
  Health-related quality of life, physical strength, pain, weight, blood pressure, functional status, activity level, and perinatal data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Functional status deteriorated during the intervention in both groups and pain increased. Significant differences between the groups were obtained only for birthweight. Newborns delivered by women who underwent resistance exercise during pregnancy were significantly heavier than those born to control women; 3561 (±452) g vs. 3251 (±437) g (p = 0.02), a difference that disappeared when adjustment was made for gestational age (p = 0.059). Both groups showed normal health-related quality of life, blood pressure, and perinatal data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that supervised, moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise does not jeopardize the health status of healthy pregnant women or the fetus during pregnancy, but instead appears to be an appropriate form of exercise in healthy pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Petrov Fieril
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Glantz
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fagevik Olsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012016:Reference Values; D055070:Resistance Training / Q000379:methods*; D013548:Sweden
keywords: Exercise; pregnancy; public health; randomized controlled trial