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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017 Nov 28;17(1):396.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-017-1571-6.

Exercise during pregnancy on maternal lipids: a secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial

Robinson Ramírez-Vélez  1 , Felipe Lobelo  2 , Ana C Aguilar-de Plata  3 , Mikel Izquierdo  4 , Antonio García-Hermoso  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Exercise during pregnancy on maternal lipids: a secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial

Robinson Ramírez-Vélez et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Today, scientific evidence has supported the popular belief that physical activity is associated with biological health in pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial was used to assess the benefits of physical exercise during pregnancy on maternal lipids in low-income Latina women.

Methods: The study included 67 nulliparous low-income Latina women in gestational weeks 16–20, randomly assigned into one of two groups: 1) The exercise group, which took part in aerobic and resistance exercise for 60 min, three times a week for 12 weeks, 2) The control group, which undertook their usual physical activity and prenatal care. The primary outcomes were changes in maternal blood lipids after intervention. Obstetrical and neonatal outcomes measured were type of delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, newborn and/or maternal complications’, gestational age, weight gain, birth weight, foetal growth, and Apgar score.

Results: Fifty women completed the study. At the end of the intervention, there were differences between groups in low-density lipoprotein levels (mean change: −8 mg/dL, 95%CI -3 to −29; P < 0.001) and triglycerides (mean change: −6 mg/dL, 95%CI -1 to −11; P = 0.03). Also, compared with women who remained in the control group, active women showed lower complications during delivery (moderate postpartum haemorrhage) (58% compared with 75%; P < 0.05) and lower complications in newborns (e.g. cyanosis or respiratory distress) (21% compared with 46%; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: An exercise programme during the second and third trimester favours less gain in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides fewer delivery and neonatal complications.

Trial registration: NCT00741312 (August 22, 2008).

Keywords: Metabolic biomarkers; Obstetric outcomes; Physical activity; Prenatal.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was conducted according to the guidelines in the Declaration of Helsinki. A comprehensive verbal description of the nature and purpose of the study and of its experimental risks was presented to all subjects. In the case of participants under 18, this information was provided to their parents/guardians. All participants and the parents/legal guardians of minors under 18 gave their informed written consent before the study began. The study was approved by the Committee for Medical Research Ethics (UV Res. 004/08; N°142–07) and was registered with clinicaltrial.gov [NCT00741312].

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Design and flow of participants through the study
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Maternal heart rate changes during moderate-intensity exercise sessions according with currently recommended aerobic physical activity guidelines during pregnancy. Average intensity based on a target heart-rate zone of 120 to 140 bpm, according with currently recommended aerobic physical activity guidelines during pregnancy. Experimental participants received on average 28.9 out of 36 (SD 3.2) sessions over the 12 weeks. No adverse events occurred during or after the exercise in any participant. (a) First 15 min 16, (b) 15–40 min of exercise
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