A Narrative Review of the Individual Benefits of Maternal Exercise or PUFA Supplementation During Pregnancy: Are We Missing Something?

Abstract

Evidence indicates that poor nutrition and physical inactivity during pregnancy are associated with increased risk of the child developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and/or heart disease later in life. Current research demonstrates that maternal aerobic exercise and supplementation of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) during pregnancy are associated with improved maternal lipid profiles and infant outcomes, such as a decreased risk of childhood obesity and improved infant cardiac autonomic function (i.e., lower heart rate (HR), increased heart rate variability (HRV)). Currently, the relationships between maternal DHA and EPA with maternal exercise on maternal lipids, infant body composition, and infant cardiac autonomic development are not known. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize the current state of scientific evidence regarding the effects of prenatal aerobic exercise and maternal DHA and EPA concentrations on maternal lipids as well as infant body composition and cardiac autonomic health. In this review, we examine the individual influence of maternal exercise or DHA and EPA supplementation on maternal lipid profiles, infant body composition, and infant heart outcomes.