Abstract:Introduction
Physical activity is recommended for healthy pregnant women. Clinical practice guidelines vary with regard to initial time, duration, or type of physical activity that is recommended, which is confusing for health care professionals and pregnant women alike. This study aimed to appraise clinical guidelines relevant to physical activity for pregnant women and summarize consensus and discrepant recommendations.
Methods
The websites of organizations that develop guidelines including those of obstetri… Show more
“…The limitation of this study is that the PA level will be evaluated by a questionnaire without objective equipment. Guidelines about PA for pregnant women recommend subjective assessments as the first choice to evaluate exercise status as they are handy and personalized [ 18 ]. We will ask our study participants to keep an exercise diary, including comments on walk steps and their feelings while exercising.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Women will be excluded from this study if they have an exercise contraindication [ 18 ], such as severe cardiac or respiratory diseases, severe preeclampsia, uncontrolled hypertension, thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, cervical insufficiency, persistent vaginal bleeding, threatened prematurity, placenta previa, ruptured membranes, poorly controlled anemia, fetal growth restriction, multiple pregnancies (≥ 3), bone or joint problems, severe obesity (body mass index > 35 kg/m 2 ); are participating in other antenatal PA programs; or are currently being treated with metformin or corticosteroids.…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Adherence to the PA intervention will be strongly emphasized and registered in the women’s training diaries and reports from the individuals leading the training groups. Exercise participants who develop obstetric contraindications to exercise [ 18 ] will discontinue the exercise intervention but be included in the intention-to-treat analysis.…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Furthermore, women with regular PA during pregnancy were more likely to give birth vaginally and less likely to have preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, excessive gestational weight gain, postpartum weight retention, or postpartum depression [ 14 – 17 ]. Thirteen clinical practice guidelines consistently recommend that all healthy pregnant women perform 150 min of moderate PA per week [ 18 ]. However, researchers have found that PA in women decreases from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy [ 19 ].…”
Background
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical disorders in pregnancy. Evidence has demonstrated that moderate-intensity physical activity may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. However, women at risk of GDM spend most of their time performing sedentary behaviors. Although researchers identified self-efficacy as a mediator to overcome physical activity barriers, exercise intervention during pregnancy based on self-efficacy theory has not been discussed so far. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence regarding the effects of a physical exercise intervention on the incidence of GDM and other maternal or neonatal outcomes in women at higher risk for GDM.
Methods/design
A single-center, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be conducted in a maternal–child health care center. A total of 244 pregnant women at high risk for GDM will be randomized into a study group receiving a self-efficacy-enhancing physical activity intervention or a control group receiving the usual care. The intervention will consist of four group sessions and everyday reminders by WeChat (Tencent, Shenzhen, China). The program will begin at approximately 13–14+6 gestational weeks and end at 36+6 gestational weeks. The primary outcomes will include the incidence of GDM, blood sugar values, and physical activity. The secondary outcomes will include physical activity self-efficacy, gestational weight gain, maternal outcomes, and neonatal outcomes.
Discussion
The findings of this research will contribute toward understanding the effects of a self-efficacy theory-oriented physical activity program on the incidence of GDM, blood sugar values, physical activity level, gestational weight gain, physical activity self-efficacy, maternal outcomes, and neonatal outcomes.
Trial registration
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (CHiCTR) ChiCTR2200056355. Registered on February 4, 2022.
“…The limitation of this study is that the PA level will be evaluated by a questionnaire without objective equipment. Guidelines about PA for pregnant women recommend subjective assessments as the first choice to evaluate exercise status as they are handy and personalized [ 18 ]. We will ask our study participants to keep an exercise diary, including comments on walk steps and their feelings while exercising.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Women will be excluded from this study if they have an exercise contraindication [ 18 ], such as severe cardiac or respiratory diseases, severe preeclampsia, uncontrolled hypertension, thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes, cervical insufficiency, persistent vaginal bleeding, threatened prematurity, placenta previa, ruptured membranes, poorly controlled anemia, fetal growth restriction, multiple pregnancies (≥ 3), bone or joint problems, severe obesity (body mass index > 35 kg/m 2 ); are participating in other antenatal PA programs; or are currently being treated with metformin or corticosteroids.…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Adherence to the PA intervention will be strongly emphasized and registered in the women’s training diaries and reports from the individuals leading the training groups. Exercise participants who develop obstetric contraindications to exercise [ 18 ] will discontinue the exercise intervention but be included in the intention-to-treat analysis.…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Furthermore, women with regular PA during pregnancy were more likely to give birth vaginally and less likely to have preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, excessive gestational weight gain, postpartum weight retention, or postpartum depression [ 14 – 17 ]. Thirteen clinical practice guidelines consistently recommend that all healthy pregnant women perform 150 min of moderate PA per week [ 18 ]. However, researchers have found that PA in women decreases from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy [ 19 ].…”
Background
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical disorders in pregnancy. Evidence has demonstrated that moderate-intensity physical activity may reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. However, women at risk of GDM spend most of their time performing sedentary behaviors. Although researchers identified self-efficacy as a mediator to overcome physical activity barriers, exercise intervention during pregnancy based on self-efficacy theory has not been discussed so far. Furthermore, there is conflicting evidence regarding the effects of a physical exercise intervention on the incidence of GDM and other maternal or neonatal outcomes in women at higher risk for GDM.
Methods/design
A single-center, parallel, randomized controlled trial will be conducted in a maternal–child health care center. A total of 244 pregnant women at high risk for GDM will be randomized into a study group receiving a self-efficacy-enhancing physical activity intervention or a control group receiving the usual care. The intervention will consist of four group sessions and everyday reminders by WeChat (Tencent, Shenzhen, China). The program will begin at approximately 13–14+6 gestational weeks and end at 36+6 gestational weeks. The primary outcomes will include the incidence of GDM, blood sugar values, and physical activity. The secondary outcomes will include physical activity self-efficacy, gestational weight gain, maternal outcomes, and neonatal outcomes.
Discussion
The findings of this research will contribute toward understanding the effects of a self-efficacy theory-oriented physical activity program on the incidence of GDM, blood sugar values, physical activity level, gestational weight gain, physical activity self-efficacy, maternal outcomes, and neonatal outcomes.
Trial registration
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (CHiCTR) ChiCTR2200056355. Registered on February 4, 2022.
“…The relationship between exercise for mothers without contraindications during pregnancy and maternal, fetal, and newborn wellbeing has been previously illustrated in the international guidelines [ 53 , 54 , 55 ]. All recommendations base an active lifestyle during pregnancy on 30 min of moderate exercise for five days a week [ 53 , 54 , 55 ], although there is a great variety among the physical exercise programs used in previous studies [ 56 ].…”
The intrauterine environment is key to health from a short- and long-term perspective. Birth weight is an important indicator that may influence the fetal environment due to epigenetics. Considering physical inactivity, in parallel with higher levels of stress, affecting smoking patterns and the physical and emotional health of the pregnant population, maintaining the health of future generations is crucial. A randomized clinical trial (NCT04563065) was conducted. One-hundred and ninety-two healthy pregnant individuals were assigned to the intervention (IG) or control (CG) group. Overall, significant differences were found between groups when stratified by birth weight (χ2 (1) = 6.610; p = 0.037) with low birth weight and macrosomia found more often in the CG (4% vs. 14% and 3% vs. 9%, respectively) and higher admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (χ2 (1) = 5.075; p = 0.024) in the CG (20/28.6%) compared to the IG (9/13.0). Smoking during pregnancy was also found more often in the CG (12/17.1%) compared to the IG (3/4.4%) (p = 0.016). A virtual program of supervised exercise throughout pregnancy during the ongoing pandemic could help to maintain adequate birth weights, modify maternal smoking habits, and lower admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit.
Currently, the number of pregnant women at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and using assisted reproductive technology (ART) is increasing. The present study aims to explore the relationship between ART and physical activity in Chinese pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a regional teaching hospital in Guangzhou, China, between July 2022 and March 2023. Three hundred fifty‐five pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy completed the Chinese version of the Pregnant Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ), the Pregnancy Physical Activity Knowledge Scale, the Pregnancy Physical Activity Self‐Efficacy Scale, the Pregnancy Physical Activity Social Support Scale, and a sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics data sheet. Compared to women who conceived naturally, women who used ART were more likely to be 35 years or older, unemployed, primigravidae, and to have intentionally planned their pregnancies. Women who used ART had significantly lower levels of physical activity and self‐efficacy compared to their counterparts who conceived naturally. Over half (55.6%) of women who used ART reported being physically inactive, and those with lower self‐efficacy, as well as the unemployed, were significantly more likely to be inactive. Physical inactivity is a critical clinical issue among women who use ART, especially in the context of GDM risk. Future research should develop and test physical activity programs, including enhancing physical activity self‐efficacy for women who use ART. Patient or public contribution: In this study, survey questionnaires were completed by participants among Chinese pregnant women at high risk for GDM in early pregnancy.
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