Oral Presentation ANZOS-Breakthrough Discoveries Joint Annual Scientific Meeting 2018

Effects of exercise training during pregnancy on late pregnancy and postpartum cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese women: A randomised controlled trial (#63)

Trine T Moholdt 1 2 , Siv Mørkved 3 4 , Kirsti K Garnæs 1 2
  1. Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, NOT IN USA, Norway
  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecolo, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, , Trondheim, Norway
  3. Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Not in USA, Norway
  4. Research Department, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Not in USA, Norway

Introduction

Pregnant women who are overweight/obese have increased risk of excess gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention. Along with low cardiorespiratory fitness, these risk factors are associated with subsequent development of diabetes risk. We examined if exercise training during pregnancy would prevent a decline in peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in women with a pre-pregnancy BMI ≥28 kg/m2.

 

Methods

We included a sub-sample of 53 sedentary women (age: 31±4 yr, BMI: 34.8±4.3 kg/m2) from a larger randomised controlled trial. The training group (n=28) was offered three weekly sessions (35 min moderate-intensity endurance and 25 min strength training) from gestational week 12-18 to delivery. The control group (n=25) received usual care only. Participants underwent testing for VO2peak in gestational week 12-18 (baseline), in gestational week 34-37 (late pregnancy) and 3 months postpartum.

 

Results

Weight gain from baseline to late pregnancy was 8.7±3.1 kg, with no change between baseline and postpartum, and no between-group difference. Relative VO2peak (mL/min/kg) decreased in both groups from baseline to late pregnancy (exercise: -3.7±2.4, control: -4.8±4.1, p<0.001, between-group difference, p=0.34), whereas absolute VO2peak decreased only in the control group. Nineteen women were not physically able to undertake a VO2peak test in late pregnancy. From baseline to postpartum, relative VO2peak (mL/kg/min) increased by 13% (from 25.0±4.1 to 27.7±3.9, p = 0.002) in the exercise group and by 4% (from 25.7±4.2 to 26.6±4.4, p=0.07) in the control group (between-group difference, p=0.05). Absolute VO2peak increased only in the exercise group (+0.2±0.4 L/min) from baseline to postpartum (between-group difference, p=0.04).

 

Conclusion

Overweight/obese women who received a supervised training program during pregnancy maintained their absolute VO2peak from early to late pregnancy and had a higher increase in postpartum VO2peak compared to women who received usual care. Supervised exercise training should be included as part of maternity care.