Maternal physiological changes at rest induced by exercise during pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Maternal-Fetal Medicine
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Supervised exercise programs are increasingly recommended during pregnancy.
• Understanding the impact of exercise on maternal physiology is crucial for safety and efficacy.
• Previous research has yielded varied results on exercise effects during gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze maternal physiological changes in cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, and hepatic systems.
• To assess the effects of a regular supervised exercise program during pregnancy.
• To compare physiological parameters between an intervention group and a control group.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (NCT 02,756,143).
• 92 pregnant women were assigned to a supervised exercise program (Intervention Group) or routine care (Control Group).
• Collected and compared clinical and analytical data including blood pressure, weight, glucose, AST, ALT, creatinine, and uric acid.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in pregnancy weight, fasting glucose, 50g glucose tolerance, AST, ALT, creatinine, or uric acid between groups.
• Systolic blood pressure was significantly lower in the control group compared to the intervention group at 27-28 weeks gestation (p=0.010).
• Overall, regular supervised exercise did not lead to significant alterations in the measured maternal physiological parameters.

Conclusions:

• Regular supervised exercise during pregnancy does not alter normal maternal physiology in the studied parameters.
• Mild-to-moderate exercise appears safe and does not negatively impact key maternal metabolic, renal, or hepatic functions.
• Further research may explore specific cardiovascular adaptations or long-term effects.