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Influence of physical activity before and during pregnancy on infant's sleep and neurodevelopment at 1-year-old

Kazushige Nakahara1, Takehiro Michikawa2, Seiichi Morokuma3,4

  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

Scientific Reports
|April 15, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Maternal physical activity (PA) before and during pregnancy is linked to fewer sleep and developmental issues in infants. Higher PA levels in mothers correlate with better infant sleep patterns and development at one year old.

Area of Science:

  • Maternal and Child Health
  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Infant sleep and developmental problems are significant concerns for maternal and child health.
  • The role of maternal lifestyle factors, specifically physical activity (PA), requires further investigation.
  • Understanding prenatal and pre-pregnancy influences on infant outcomes is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between maternal physical activity (PA) levels before and during pregnancy and infant sleep and developmental outcomes.
  • To identify potential protective effects of maternal PA on sleep disturbances and developmental delays in 1-year-old infants.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from a large-scale Japanese nationwide cohort study (103,062 pregnancies, 2011-2014).
  • Assessed maternal PA using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), measured in METs per week.
  • Evaluated infant sleep (bedtime after 22:00) and development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire - ASQ scores) at 1 year of age.

Main Results:

  • Higher levels of maternal PA, both before and during pregnancy, were associated with a reduced risk of infants having bedtime after 22:00.
  • Increased maternal PA levels were also linked to a lower risk of abnormal infant development scores (below ASQ cut-offs).
  • These positive associations were consistent across PA levels assessed both pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy.

Conclusions:

  • Higher maternal physical activity levels before and during pregnancy may play a protective role against infant sleep and developmental problems.
  • Promoting maternal PA could be a valuable strategy for improving infant health outcomes.
  • Further research can explore mechanisms linking maternal PA to improved infant sleep and neurodevelopment.

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