Pregnancy trial motivates mums

[Updated 03 March 2014]

Women taking part in a supervised programme of exercise during pregnancy are enthusiastic about the potential benefits for them and their babies.

The clinical trial supervised by paediatricians at the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute and funded by Gravida: National Centre for Growth and Development, is investigating whether moderate daily exercise during pregnancy will help women avoid the excessive weight gain which can trap them and their babies in a vicious cycle of obesity.

“Women who are overweight during pregnancy not only risk complications such as gestational diabetes and difficult deliveries but are likely to over-supply nutrients to their fetus, leading to a large baby and perpetuating a cycle of obesity through overweight child, adolescent and parent,” says lead researcher Professor Paul Hofman.

“There are recognised benefits of regular physical activities during pregnancy and the major obstetric societies recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily.”

So far around 60 women have been involved in the study and while it is too early to analyse results, participants have been very enthusiastic about the programme and highly motivated to continue exercising after their babies are born.

Second time mum Zoe has completed the study and feels that, compared with her first pregnancy, when she was advised not to start exercising part way through, she had more energy while on the programme and is thrilled to have lost most of the weight she put on during pregnancy within a fortnight – in marked contrast to the first time when she failed to lose anything at all.

Trial participants are given an exercise cycle and heart monitor so they can exercise at home, gradually building up to target heart rates. The women report that having the cycle at home, plus encouragement from the staff conducting the trial, has helped them establish regular exercise routines and achieve their targets.

Because it is a strictly controlled clinical trial half the participants are randomly assigned to the supervised exercise programme while half continue with their normal routines. Every woman in the exercise group is given an exercise cycle to use as directed during the trial and keep afterwards. On completion of the study, the women in the non-exercise group also receive a free exercise-cycle to keep, plus a programme to help them develop and maintain fitness after pregnancy.

Another participant, Emma, said that even though she was in the control group, taking part in the study made her actively aware of the benefits of exercise and a balanced diet during pregnancy.

“I found it an amazing experience,” she said. “A real highlight for me and my family was having 3-D scans that I would have not been able to afford otherwise. It enabled me to feel a real connection with this little person growing inside of me in such visual detail.”

The exercise habit seems to be “catching”, with some women reporting household rosters for other family members wanting to use the bikes to improve their fitness.


“We are delighted to see people recognising the benefits of regular exercise, particularly in communities where obesity and diabetes pose significant health risks,” comments Professor Hofman.

The team hopes to finish recruiting women for the trial by March and would like to hear from women, or lead maternity carers of women, who may be eligible to take part in the trial.
 

• Prospective participants must be aged between 18 and 40, less than 20 weeks pregnant and have a body mass index (BMI) above 25. In addition they must not smoke during this pregnancy, have any major medical illness or be taking medication that affects baby’s growth.
• All women enrolled in the trial receive regular ultrasound scans to monitor their baby’s growth and visit the Liggins Institute three times for tests to assess health and fitness. The research team maintains close contact with the women’s maternity carers throughout the trial.

Read more about the IMPROVE trial (Improving Maternal and Progeny Risk of Obesity Via Exercise)
 

Further information is available from Professor Hofman, email p.hofman@auckland.ac.nz or
Clinical Research Fellow Dr Sumudu Seneviratne, email s.seneviratne@auckland.ac.nz or
Phone/txt 0277066263