Maternal Exercise (FITT-V) on Placental and Infant Outcomes

BACKGROUND: The rates of obesity increase world-wide, including women of child-bearing age, thus, it is critical to develop strategies to prevent the intergenerational cycle of obesity. Data suggests that gestational exercise positively influences pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, it is unknown how exercise metrics influences these outcomes and whether it improves outcomes at the cell and whole-body level.
PURPOSE: To elucidate the influence of exercise metrics (frequency, intensity, time, type, volume) during pregnancy on birth and infant outcomes at the cell and whole body level. We hypothesized that increased exercise volume throughout pregnancy would positively influence birth & infant health at the cell and whole-body level.
METHODS: We measured placentas at delivery. We used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from umbilical cords at birth, and body morphometry at 1-month of age; women did supervised exercise for 24+ weeks of pregnancy; all exercise metrics were recorded.
RESULTS: We demonstrated that increased maternal exercise duration throughout pregnancy as well as weekly and total exercise volume improve placenta health and birth outcomes, even in preterm deliveries. Similarly, we found that increased maternal duration throughout pregnancy as well as weekly and total exercise volume improves infant cellular metabolism and decrease one-month body fat percent.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Our data suggests that more maternal exercise is protective and leads to improved pregnancy, placental, and birth outcomes; changes in pregnancy could decrease the propensity to develop poor outcomes as well as obesity and associated metabolic conditions later in life.
Funding: American Heart Association