Obstetrics
Beginning regular exercise in early pregnancy: Effect on fetoplacental growth,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1067/mob.2000.107096Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective: Our purpose was to test the null hypothesis that beginning regular, moderate-intensity exercise in early pregnancy has no effect on fetoplacental growth. Study Design: Forty-six women who did not exercise regularly were randomly assigned at 8 weeks either to no exercise (n = 24) or to weight-bearing exercise (n = 22) 3 to 5 times a week for the remainder of pregnancy. Outcome variables included antenatal placental growth rate and neonatal and placental morphometric measurements. Results: The offspring of the exercising women were significantly heavier (corrected birth weight: 3.75 ± 0.08 kg vs 3.49 ± 0.07 kg) and longer (51.8 ± 0.3 cm vs 50.6 ± 0.3 cm) than those born to control women. The difference in birth weight was the result of an increase in both lean body mass and fat mass. In addition, midtrimester placental growth rate was faster (26 ± 2 cm3/wk vs 21 ± 1 cm3/wk) and morphometric indexes of placental function were greater in the exercise group. There were no significant differences in neonatal percentage body fat, head circumference, ponderal index, or maternal weight gain. Conclusions: These data indicate that beginning a moderate regimen of weight-bearing exercise in early pregnancy enhances fetoplacental growth. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:1484-8.)

Section snippets

General procedures

The experimental protocol was approved by the hospital’s internal review board for human experimentation and used a prospective randomized design in which healthy, non–substance-abusing women were enrolled before pregnancy. At that time they completed a demographic questionnaire and underwent a physical fitness assessment including a fixed-rate, progressive-incline treadmill evaluation of maximum aerobic capacity.8 Then, after conception and ultrasonographic documentation of a viable singleton

General findings

Of the 50 women enrolled, 46 had an uncomplicated pregnancy and completed the protocol. Two women randomly assigned to the exercise group were noncompliant, and 1 randomly assigned woman in each group had preterm labor. There were no other pregnancy complications. Twentyfour of the women who completed the protocol had been randomly assigned to the control group and 22 to the exercise group. All except 3 of these women (2 exercisers and 1 control woman) worked outside the home.

Compliance with

Comment

These data warrant several conclusions. First, beginning a program of regular, moderate-intensity, weight-bearing exercise at 8 or 9 weeks’ gestation has a positive effect on fetoplacental growth rate and ultimately size at birth. This is not an entirely new finding; epidemiologic studies have suggested that birth weights may be heavier when any one of several weight-bearing regimens are either begun or continued during pregnancy.5, 17, 18, 19 The fact that similar findings are not present when

References (21)

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Supported by grants HD21268, HD21109, and RR00080 from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and by funds from the MetroHealth Medical Center.

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Reprint requests: James F. Clapp III, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Dr, Cleveland, OH 44109.

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