Resistance Exercise Training During Pregnancy: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Resistance Exercise Training Program Performed During the 2nd and 3rd Trimesters of Pregnancy on Maternal and Newborn Health

The investigators investigated the effects of a supervised maternal exercise training program (performed during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy) on maternal-newborn unit health outcomes in a group of previously sedentary healthy women. A matched control group was assessed over the same time period. Given the fact that most studies in the field have used aerobic exercises, here the investigators largely focused on very light resistance, toning exercises.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Birth Weight; Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; Anaemia; Gestational Age; Type of Delivery
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Exercise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Phase 4

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• sedentary (not exercising >20 minutes on >3 days per week)
• with singleton
• not at high risk for preterm delivery (no more than one previous preterm deliveries)
• women planning to give birth in the same obstetrics hospital department (Hospital Severo Ochoa, Madrid, Spain)

Exclusion Criteria:

• not being under medical follow-up throughout the entire pregnancy period were not included in the study
• women having serious medical condition that prevent them from exercising safely

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Lifestyle counseling

Behavioral: Exercise; Women in the intervention group were enrolled in three sessions/week of individually supervised, resistance exercise training performed over the second and third trimester of pregnancy (in total 26 weeks, ~80 training sessions). Heart rate (HR) was carefully and individually controlled (≤80% of age-predicted maximum HR value, 220-age) through a heart rate monitor during the training sessions. In brief, each session consisted of 35-40 minutes of exercise divided in a light intensity (≤60% maximal heart rate) warm-up period (~8 minutes), followed by toning and very light resistance exercises (~20 minutes) and a light intensity cool-down (~8 minutes) period. Resistance exercises were performed with barbells (≤3kg per exercise) or low-to-medium resistance bands (Therabands).

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Politecnica de Madrid

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: January 1, 2000
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2002
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2002

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): December 23, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 23, 2008
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 22, 2008
• Last Verified: December 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Glucose Metabolism Disorders; Metabolic Diseases; Endocrine System Diseases; Diabetes Mellitus; Body Weight; Pregnancy Complications; Birth Weight; Diabetes, Gestational
• Other Study ID Numbers: 01562