Exercise benefits yourself and your offspring: a mini-review

Area of Science:

• Exercise physiology
• Reproductive health
• Developmental biology

Background:

• Pregnancy involves critical immunometabolic adaptations essential for maternal and fetal well-being.
• Maternal physical activity is a non-pharmacological approach to enhance health during gestation.
• Understanding exercise effects on maternal and offspring health is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on maternal exercise impacts on pregnant women and their offspring.
• To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these benefits.
• To identify knowledge gaps and future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent advances in maternal exercise research.
• Analysis of studies focusing on maternal and offspring health outcomes.
• Examination of molecular pathways and signaling mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Maternal exercise improves maternal metabolic profiles, inflammation, neuroplasticity, and bone health.
• Offspring benefit from enhanced glucose metabolism, neurogenesis, cognition, and immune resilience.
• Key molecular mediators include placental SOD3, fetal liver AMPK/TET signaling, and factors like Apelin and SERPINA3C.

Conclusions:

• Maternal exercise is a safe intervention with profound benefits for maternal-fetal health.
• It holds potential for reducing offspring disease risk throughout life.
• Further research is needed on optimal exercise parameters and long-term outcomes, utilizing multi-omics approaches.