Exercise Training in Pregnancy for Obese Mothers

Obesity, Pregnancy

Exercise training, Pregnancy, Obesity

Observational studies demonstrate that overweight in pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes as fetal macrosomia, prolonged labor, low Apgar score, shoulder dystocia, nerve plexus injuries, increased proportion of instrumental deliveries and perineal ruptures. There is a 2.6 fold risk for gestational diabetes mellitus (fourfold in morbidly obese women) and a recent study has shown that fetuses of obese mothers develop insulin resistance in uterus. Main aims of this study are to assess if regular exercise in pregnancy among obese women can prevent or influence weight gain; impaired cardiac function in mother and fetus/newborn; impaired vascular function in mother; insulin resistance/sensitivity; body composition in mother and offspring; lumbopelvic pain; urinary and/or fecal incontinence; prolonged labor

Women with a self-reported pre-pregnancy BMI of 28 or more will be eligible for our study. Woman are eligible if they are 18 years or older, with a singleton live fetus at an early (week 12-14) ultrasound scan. Exclusion criteria are pregnancy complications with high risk for preterm labour or diseases that could interfere with participation. Primary outcome measure is weight increase based on weight measured at 14 weeks and immediately before labour. Assessments are done at baseline at 14 (12-18) weeks of pregnancy, and again in week 38, as well as 3 months postpartum. Some measurements are also done at other points in time. The maternal secondary outcome measurements include fasting glucose, glucose tolerance assessed by 2-h, 75 mg per-oral glucose tolerance test, insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR, weight, height, body composition estimated by skinfold measurements in pregnancy and by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry postpartum, blood markers, lumbopelvic pain, urin- and fecal incontinence, quality of life, psychological wellbeing, depression, and diet.

Norway