Relationship between Physical Activity and the Metabolic, Inflammatory Axis in Pregnant Participants

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy is beneficial for mother and child. Little is known regarding the effects of PA on specific adipokines/myokines and their impact during pregnancy. This study investigates the correlation between PA during late pregnancy, body composition, and maternal levels of leptin, IL-6, and TNF-α at delivery. In a cross-sectional study of 91 pregnant participants (mean age 33.9 ± 4.6 years) without gestational diabetes mellitus or preeclampsia, anthropometric data and blood samples were taken at delivery. PA during the third trimester was measured via the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Activities were ranked by intensity: sedentary (<1.5 metabolic equivalent (METs)), light (1.5–3.0 METs), moderate (3.0–6.0 METs), and vigorous activity (>6.0 METs). Leptin at delivery correlated positively with body composition and negatively with light PA intensity. Sedentary behaviour showed a positive correlation with IL-6 levels at delivery. Moderate activity during the last trimester, sedentary activity levels, and body composition had the greatest influence on maternal IL-6 at delivery. Completed weeks of pregnancy, moderate and light PA, and sedentary activity had the greatest influence on maternal TNF-α at delivery. PA during late pregnancy potentially affects circulating (adipo-)/myokines. Further studies are needed to examine causal relationships and the impact on maternal and new-born health.

Impact of Diet Quality during Pregnancy on Gestational Weight Gain and Selected Adipokines—Results of a German Cross-Sectional Study

“…The benefits of physical activity are well established. It is associated with reduced risk for obesity and excessive GWG, improved psychologic wellbeing, and lower maternal systemic inflammation [ 15 , 40 ]. However, in contrast to recommendations, the majority of pregnant women in Germany and other countries have a low level of physical activity and rather reduce their participation in sports during pregnancy or do not exercise at all [ 6 , 41 ].…”

“…The following participant information was retrieved from either medical files or health insurance cards: age, height, weight (before pregnancy and at admission for labor), parity, ethnicity, level of education, smoking behavior, mode of delivery, presence of gestational diabetes, presence of pre-eclampsia, and other complications during pregnancy (for details see [ 15 , 24 , 25 ]).…”

“…Lifestyle factors such as diet and physical activity are known to modulate both BMI and GWG, but may also have a direct impact on maternal adipokines [ 13 ]. Preliminary results indicate a beneficial effect of regular physical activity on leptin sensitivity [ 14 ], plasma leptin levels [ 15 , 16 , 17 ], as well as IL-6 concentrations [ 15 , 18 ] for example. Furthermore, a healthy diet may contribute to attenuating the decrease in adiponectin levels during gestation [ 19 , 20 ] and has been recognized as an important modulator of chronic inflammation [ 21 ].…”