ObjectiveThe infl uence of an exercise programme performed by healthy pregnant women on maternal glucose tolerance was studied. Study design A physical activity (PA, land/aquatic activities) programme during the entire pregnancy (three sessions per week) was conducted by a qualifi ed instructor. 83 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (EG, n=40) or a control (CG, n=43) group. 50 g maternal glucose screen (MGS), maternal weight gain and several pregnancy outcomes were recorded. Results Signifi cant differences were found between study groups on the 50 g MGS. Values corresponding to the EG (103.8±20.4 mg/dl) were better than those of the CG (126.9±29.5 mg/dl), p=0.000. In addition, no differences in maternal weight gain and no cases of gestational diabetes in EG versus 3 in CG (7%) (p>0.05) were found. Conclusion A moderate PA programme performed during pregnancy improves levels of maternal glucose tolerance.

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A regular and moderate physical exercise program throughout pregnancy is not a risk to maternal and fetal well-being, and it helps to control excessive weight gain.

In this study, the authors assessed the effects of a structured, moderate-intensity exercise program during the entire length of pregnancy on a woman's method of delivery. Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 290 healthy pregnant Caucasian (Spanish) women with a singleton gestation who were randomly assigned to either an exercise (n=138) or a control (n=152) group. Pregnancy outcomes, including the type of delivery, were measured at the end of the pregnancy.Results:The percentage of cesarean and instrumental deliveries in the exercise group were lower than in the control group (15.9%, n=22; 11.6%, n=16 vs. 23%, n=35; 19.1%, n=29, respectively; p=0.03). The overall health status of the newborn as well as other pregnancy outcomes were unaffected. Conclusions:Based on these results, a supervised program of moderate-intensity exercise performed throughout pregnancy was associated with a reduction in the rate of cesarean sections and can be recommended for healthy women in pregnancy.

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with several adverse events and pathologies during pregnancy. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an exercise program throughout pregnancy on maternal weight gain and prevalence of gestational diabetes. Method: A randomized controlled trial was designed that included an exercise intervention group (EG) and standard care control group (CG). The exercise intervention included moderate aerobic exercise performed three days per week (50-55 minutes per session) for 8-10 weeks to 38-39 weeks gestation. Results: 594 pregnant women were assessed for eligibility and 456 were included (EG n = 234; CG n = 222). The results showed a higher percentage of pregnant women gained excessive weight in the CG than in the EG (30.2% vs 20.5% respectively; odds ratio, 0.597; 95% confidence interval, 0.389-0.916; p = 0.018). Similarly, the prevalence of gestational diabetes was significantly higher in the CG than the EG (6.8% vs 2.6% respectively; odds ratio, 0.363; 95% confidence interval, 0.138-0.953; p = 0.033). Conclusion: The results of this trial indicate that exercise throughout pregnancy can reduce the risk of excessive maternal weight gain and gestational diabetes.