American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
ResearchObstetricsStrenuous exercise during pregnancy: is there a limit?
Section snippets
Materials and Methods
The current study is part of a larger investigation of exercise during pregnancy; results regarding fetal responses to current exercise recommendations for moderate and vigorous intensity exercise have been published.5 The present study includes unpublished data on fetal well-being and uterine artery Doppler data in response to strenuous exercise.
Participants included healthy women with low-risk, accurately dated (last menstrual period confirmed by first or second trimester ultrasound scans)
Results
Forty-five healthy pregnant women were divided into 3 groups by physical activity level. Subject characteristics have been reported previously.5 Briefly, groups were similar in age, body mass index, and gestational age (P > .05). Mean ages for the women who were nonexercisers, regularly active, and highly active were 32.9, 34.3, and 32.9 years, respectively. All women were normal weight before pregnancy. Gestational age at the time of testing was 30.7 ± 1.1, 30.2 ± 0.9, and 30.3 ± 1.0 weeks for
Comment
There are 2 primary findings from this study. First, overall fetal well-being was reassuring after strenuous exercise in women who were both exercisers and nonexercisers. Second, a small subset of highly active women demonstrated transient FHR decelerations and alterations in umbilical and uterine artery Doppler indices immediately after exercise.
With strenuous exercise, all participants, regardless of activity status, reported perceived exertion ratings that were consistent with strenuous
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Supported in part by grant number L30 HD062349-01 from the Clinical Loan Repayment Program, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (L.M.S.).
The authors report no conflict of interest.
Reprints not available from the authors.
Cite this article as: Szymanski LM, Satin AJ. Strenuous exercise during pregnancy: is there a limit?. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2012;207:179.e1-6.