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Abstract
Background: Prenatal exercise improves birth outcomes, but research into
exercise dose–response effects is limited.
Methods: This study is a retrospective, secondary analysis of pooled data from
three blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trials. Prenatal exercise frequency, intensity, type, time, and volume (FITT-V) were assessed in supervised
sessions throughout pregnancy. Gestational age (GA), neonatal resting heart
rate (rHR), morphometrics (body circumferences, weight-to-length and ponderal index) Apgar and reflex scores, and placental measures were obtained at
birth. Stepwise regressions and Pearson correlations determined associations
between FITT-V and birth outcomes.
Results: Prenatal exercise frequency reduces ponderal index (R2 = 0.15,
F = 2.76, p = .05) and increased total number of reflexes present at birth
(R2 = 0.24, F = 7.89, p < .001), while exercise intensity was related to greater
gestational age and birth length (R2 = 0.08, F = 3.14; R2 = 0.12, F = 3.86,
respectively; both p = .04); exercise weekly volume was associated with shorter
hospital stay (R2 = 0.24, F = 4.73, p = .01). Furthermore, exercise type was
associated with placenta size (R2 = 0.47, F = 3.51, p = .01).
Conclusions: Prenatal exercise is positively related to birth and placental outcomes in a dose-dependent manner