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. 2021 Mar 24;18(7):3345.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18073345.

Association of Self-Reported Physical Fitness with Pregnancy Related Symptoms the GESTAFIT Project

Nuria Marín-Jiménez  1   2   3   4 , Milkana Borges-Cosic  1   2 , Olga Ocón-Hernández  5   6 , Irene Coll-Risco  2   7   8 , Marta Flor-Alemany  2   7   8 , Laura Baena-García  9 , José Castro-Piñero  3   4 , Virginia A Aparicio  2   7   8
Affiliations

Association of Self-Reported Physical Fitness with Pregnancy Related Symptoms the GESTAFIT Project

Nuria Marín-Jiménez et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

We explored the association of physical fitness (PF) with pregnancy-related symptoms, at the 16th and 34th gestational weeks (g.w.). The International Fitness Scale and the Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory were employed to assess self-reported PF and pregnancy-related symptoms, respectively. At the 16th g.w. greater self-reported overall PF was associated with lower incidence of urinary frequency (p = 0.020); greater overall PF, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength and speed-agility were associated with lower incidence of tiredness-fatigue (all, p < 0.05); greater overall PF and speed-agility were associated with lower incidence of poor sleep (both, p < 0.05); greater CRF and flexibility were associated with lower limitations by tiredness-fatigue (both, p < 0.05); and greater flexibility was associated with lower limitations by poor sleep (p = 0.021). At the 34th g.w. greater self-reported overall PF, CRF and muscular strength were associated with lower incidence of tiredness-fatigue (all, p < 0.05); greater CRF was associated with lower incidence of poor sleep (p = 0.019); and, greater flexibility was associated with lower incidence of increased vaginal discharge (p = 0.023). Adequate levels of PF, especially CRF, may help women to cope with the most endorsed pregnancy-related symptoms and its limitations, especially tiredness-fatigue and poor sleep.

Keywords: International Fitness Scale; agility; cardiorespiratory fitness; flexibility; gestation; pregnancy discomfort.; strength.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

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Figure 1
Flow diagram of study participants.
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