title: A follow-up study to assess the determinants and consequences of physical activity in pregnant women of Cuenca, Spain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In recent years, the influence of physical exercise on pregnancy outcomes has been widely debated. Despite the numerous studies addressing the relationship between maternal physical activity and pregnancy outcomes, the evidence for consistent and significant impact of regular exercise during pregnancy on fetal growth remains lacking. The aims of this study were, first, to assess the level of physical activity performed throughout the pregnancy by objective (accelerometer) and self-reported (questionnaire) measurements, and, second, to ascertain pre-pregnancy physical activity levels, to estimate the relationship between levels of physical activity and some pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective cohort study. Participants were pregnant women (n = 194) aged 18 to 40 years who attended for three quarterly appointments for pregnancy ultrasound scans at the Virgen de la Luz Hospital in Cuenca, Spain. All participants provided written informed consents to participate in the study. Physical activity during the pregnancy follow-up was assessed by a self-reported Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire and sleep log; also objectively by a GT3X accelerometer (ActiGraph). Furthermore, pregnancy symptoms inventory, nutritional behavioural assessment, socio-demographic characteristics, and anthropometry and body composition were measured. At the end of the follow up, the following main outcomes were determined: pregnancy outcomes (incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy-induced hypertension, weight gain during pregnancy, type of delivery, and neonatal outcomes (gestational age, birth weight, gender, Apgar score 1 min/5 min, type of resuscitation (I/II/III/IV), and pH of umbilical cord blood). Descriptive statistics for cross-sectional data, linear mixed regression models for absolute differences in changes baseline-final measurements were used as statistical analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the effectiveness of physical activity programmes on improving maternal and neonatal outcomes has heretofore been studied, the impact of free time physical activity during pregnancy has not been assessed using objective measures. This paper reports the design of a prospective cohort study that aims to assess the physical activity levels of pregnant women, and to estimate the relationship between those physical activity levels with maternal and neonatal outcomes. This study could contribute to providing evidence for the formulation of recommendations for physical activity for pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Virgen de la Luz Hospital, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poyatos-León
authors.affiliation: Virgen de la Luz Hospital, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Gema
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sanabria-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge Cañete
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: García-Prieto
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Bueno
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Diana P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Pozuelo-Carrascosa
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Iván
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cavero-Redondo
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ciencias de la Actividad Física, el Deporte y la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Santigo de Chile, USACH, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Hermoso
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Facultad de Enfermería, Toledo, Spain.
authors.forename: Sagrario
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez-Cantarino
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garrido-Miguel
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Social and Health Research Center, Cuenca, Spain. Vicente.Martinez@uclm.es.|Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Talca, Chile. Vicente.Martinez@uclm.es.
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martínez-Vizcaíno
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001823:Body Composition; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D037841:Pregnant People; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D015430:Weight Gain; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Accelerometer; Neonatal outcomes; Physical activity; Pregnancy outcomes