Physical exercise during pregnancy and its influence in the type of birth

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To verify if medium intensity exercise performed during pregnancy can influence in the type of delivery, and to observe compliance to an exercise program among primiparous women with different levels of schooling. METHODS: A study carried out at the Centro de Incentivo ao Aleitamento Materno, in São Sebastiao (SP), between April 7, 2008, and April 14, 2009. A prospective study involving 66 primiparous women who were divided into two groups: an Exercise Group, engaged in regular physical activity during pregnancy, and the Control Group, that did not participate in regular physical activity during the same period. Significance level in this project was 5% (p=0.05). RESULTS: The group that did engage in regular exercise had a higher rate of vaginal deliveries, with a statistically significance difference evaluated by the χ² test (p=0.031). The pregnant women with the highest level of schooling showed greater compliance with the exercise program, with a statistically significant difference (p=0.01736). CONCLUSION: Physical exercise in primiparous women increased the chances of vaginal deliveries, and there was greater compliance with the exercise program among those with a higher level of schooling when compared to those with a basic education.

Exercise in Pregnancy: The Impact of an Intervention Program in the Duration of Labor and Mode of Delivery

“…Regarding the way of delivery, regular exercise in pregnancy was not associated with a lower cesarean rate, contrary to the results of two recent meta-analyses 7,8 and several studies. 5,6,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15] However, some works have reached similar conclusions and have not proved this association either. 2,3,[16][17][18][20][21][22][23][24][25] Several studies have results similar to ours in vacuum deliveries; no difference was found between regular exercise during pregnancy and a lower rate of instrumental vaginal deliveries, 10,13,14,20,23 including a recent Cochrane revision from 2017.…”

“…5 Scientific evidence from experimental studies on the influence of exercise on the type of delivery is not consensual, and more studies in this field are needed. 6 While there are studies that show that regular exercise in pregnancy decreases the risk of cesarean delivery, [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] other studies show controversial results [16][17][18][19] or have failed to prove this association. 2,3,[20][21][22][23][24][25] In relation to instrumental vaginal deliveries, the situation is similar: some investigations show an association between physical exercise and a lower rate of instrumental deliveries, 6,11 while others do not report this effect.…”

Efectividad de un programa de actividad física mediante el método Pilates en el embarazo y en el proceso del parto

“…En la tabla 3, aparece un cuadro resumen sobre las investigaciones más relevantes sobre las recomendaciones de actividad física a lo largo del embarazo. Como se puede apreciar, la mayoría de los estudios llevados a cabo se realizan entre el 2.º y 3. er trimestres, lo que implica una duración media de entre 10-20 semanas Barakat et al, 2013;Murtezani et al, 2014;Lamina y Agbanusi, 2013;Silveira y Segre, 2012;Pinzón et al, 2012;Haakstad y Bo, 2011;de Barros et al, 2010). Existen estudios con una duración de entre tres a ocho semanas, fundamentalmente cuando los investigadores se centran en un único trimestre Ghodsi y Asltoghiri, 2014;Szymanski y Satin, 2012;Salvesen et al, 2012).…”

Influencia del programa SWEP (Study Water Exercise Pregnant) en los resultados perinatales: protocolo de estudio

“…En un ECA (ensayo clínico aleatorizado) efectuado con 290 mujeres embarazadas sometidas a un programa de ejercicio físico moderado, el resultado ponía de manifiesto una reducción en la tasa de cesáreas y de partos instrumentalizados en el grupo de intervención (45).…”