The effects of physical exercise on pregnancy remain to be elucidated. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted to study the impact of exercise on maternal and perinatal outcomes. Our hypothesis is that physical exercise reduces preeclampsia incidence and improves birthweight when started early in pregnancy, with no impact on pregnancy duration, Apgar scores and neonatal complications.
The study will include low risk pregnant women randomized to practice physical exercise beginning at 13 weeks, 20 weeks or no exercise group. The objectives are: 1. To describe and compare biological and obstetrical variables. 2. To study doppler flow velocimetry indexes. 3. To determine the association between physical exercise and maternal complications: preeclampsia, preterm labor, gestational diabetes and weight gain in pregnancy. 4. To determine the association between physical exercise and perinatal outcomes: Apgar scores, birthweight, admission at intensive neonatal care unit, body composition and neonatal complications.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
188
Walking 3 times a week during 1 hours (moderate activity)
Universidade Estadual da Paraiba
Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
RECRUITINGUniversidade Estadual da Paraíba
Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
RECRUITINGMaternal outcome: preterm labor, weight gain, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes Perinatal outcome: birthweight, Apgar scores, body composition, admission at neonatal intensive care unit
Time frame: nine months
Doppler flow velocimetry indexes: pulsatility, resistance and A/B relation (uterine arteries, fetal middle cerebral artery and umbilical arteries)
Time frame: 9 months
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