Regular Exercise Throughout Pregnancy is Associated with a Shorter First Stage of Labor. Issue 3 (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Perales, Maria; Calabria, Irene; Lopez, Carmina; Franco, Evelia; Coteron, Javier; Barakat, Ruben
• Is Part Of: American journal of health promotion. Volume 30, Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 149
• Page End: 157
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Physical Exercise -- Duration -- Labor -- Pregnancy Outcomes -- Pregnancy Research -- Prevention Research -- Manuscript format: research -- Research purpose: intervention testing -- Study design: randomized trial -- Outcome measure: duration of stages of labor -- Setting: health care -- Health focus: physical activity -- Strategy: behavior change, culture change -- Target population age: adults -- Target population circumstances: pregnant women; Health promotion -- Periodicals; Health Promotion; Health promotion; Periodicals; Periodicals; 613.05
• DOI: 10.4278/ajhp.140221-QUAN-79
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0890-1171

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor stages. Design: Study was a randomized controlled trial. Setting: The study took place at Hospital Puerta de Hierro and Hospital Severo Ochoa in Madrid, Spain. Subjects: We examined 166 pregnant women (31.6 ± 3.8 years), and all had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these 83 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 83 to the control group (CG). Intervention: Women from the EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included 55- to 60-minute sessions, 3 days per week. Measures: Pregnancy outcomes were measured: duration of labor stages, gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord. Analysis: Student's unpaired t-tests and χ 2 tests were used; p values of < .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size. Results: Significant differences were found in the duration of the first stage of labor (EG = 389.6 ± 347.64 minutes vs. CG = 515.72 ± 353.36 minutes; p = .02, effect size Cohen's d = .36). The second and third stages did not differ between the study groups. Conclusion: A physical exercise program during pregnancy is associated with a shorter first stage of labor. These results may have important relevance to public health.