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Moderate exercise training during the pregnancy benefits both the pregnant woman and the fetus. The research papers consulted have linked physical activity with the reduction of the number of cesareans, instrumental delivery and with a more physiological delivery. It also prevents excessive weight gain in women and decreases the risk of gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.

The aim of this research is to know if an exercise program of moderate character with Water Study Exercise Pregnant (SWEP) method, performed in an aquatic environment, contributes to have more favorable results in the perinatal period, both for women and baby.

The design is a randomized clinical trial. The sample will consist of 364 pregnant women, with a total universe of 6,579 births occurred in Granada (Spain) during 2014. The sample was divided into two groups, intervention group and control group. The activity will be carried out in the water sporting facilities of the Faculty of Sports Science of the University of Granada, which have two pools suitable for our purposes: a 25-meter polyvalent pool and a 12.5-meter pool for training.

The exercise program designed specifically for the project called SWEP is performed from 20 to 37 weeks of gestation (SG), and it consists of three weekly sessions, with duration of 60 minutes each. Sessions will include three phases: warm-up phase, the main phase in which the exercise is divided into an aerobic phase and strength training and endurance training phase and a final phase of stretching and relaxation. The variables that will be studied are: a) Maternal: weight, BMI, blood pressure, O’Sullivan test, postpartum depression, level of self-rated health, sleep quality and perceived exertion during physical activity; b) fetal: weight, Apgar scores, head circumference and GA (Gestational age); c) peripartum: time dilation, expulsion and delivery, type of delivery, episiotomy, type of feed received by the RN and time of exclusive breastfeeding; and d) descriptive: age, occupation, education level, type of exercise done before and OF (obstetric formula).

With aquatic moderate physical activity during pregnancy (method SWEP), we intended to improve the variables above.