Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Physiologic changes during normal pregnancy.

V L Katz1

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-7570.

Current Opinion in Obstetrics & Gynecology
|December 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Alpha-fetoprotein, prolactin and cortisol responses to maximal exercise during pregnancy.

Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports·2022
Same author

Two trends in middle-class birth in the United States.

Human nature (Hawthorne, N.Y.)·2013
Same author

Why we should eliminate the due date: a truth in jest.

Obstetrics and gynecology·2002
Same author

Hydrotherapy in labor.

Research in nursing & health·2001
Same author

Use of misoprostol for cervical ripening.

Southern medical journal·2000
Same author

Mycobacterium chelonae sepsis associated with long-term use of an intravenous catheter for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum. A case report.

The Journal of reproductive medicine·2000
Same journal

Management of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
Same journal

Updates in group prenatal care research.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
Same journal

Complex benign gynecology in perimenopause: current evidence and future directions.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
Same journal

Role of insulin in female reproduction.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
Same journal

Urinary tract involvement in endometriosis: current evidence and clinical insights into navigating diagnosis and management.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
Same journal

Updates in ultrasound imaging of adenomyosis and clinical impacts.

Current opinion in obstetrics & gynecology·2026
See all related articles

Recent obstetric research challenges Nägele's rule for gestational length and finds average pregnancy weight gain exceeds guidelines. Strenuous exercise may lead to smaller babies but shorter labors.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Reproductive Health

Background:

  • Traditional obstetric assumptions, such as Nägele's rule for gestational length, are being re-evaluated with modern research methods.
  • Existing guidelines for pregnancy weight gain are frequently exceeded by healthy pregnant women.
  • The impact of maternal exercise on pregnancy outcomes and fetal development is an area of ongoing investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically assess the established 280-day mean gestational length based on Nägele's rule.
  • To compare actual pregnancy weight gain in healthy women against current clinical guidelines.
  • To investigate the effects of strenuous maternal exercise, including aquatic exercise, on labor duration, delivery interventions, and fetal growth.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Review and analysis of recent large-scale studies on gestational length.
  • Comparative analysis of reported pregnancy weight gain data against established guidelines.
  • Observational studies on women engaging in strenuous and aquatic exercise during gestation, monitoring fetal parameters and labor characteristics.

Main Results:

  • Conflicting evidence exists regarding the validity of the 280-day mean gestational length.
  • Mean pregnancy weight gain among healthy women was found to be 15 kg, exceeding the 9–14 kg guideline range, with a wide normal variation (8–25 kg).
  • Strenuous maternal exercise was associated with slightly smaller fetal size but resulted in earlier, shorter labors with reduced need for obstetric or surgical intervention. Aquatic exercise showed less impact on fetal cardiovascular parameters compared to land-based exercise.

Conclusions:

  • The traditional 280-day gestational length may require re-evaluation based on current data.
  • Current recommendations for pregnancy weight gain appear conservative, as healthy women commonly gain more weight.
  • Maternal exercise, particularly aquatic exercise, may offer benefits for labor progression and reduce interventions without significant adverse fetal effects.