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Cited by 17Gestational Diabetes Research and ManagementMaternal and Neonatal HealthcarePhysical Activity and Health

Effects of prenatal exercise on gestational weight gain, obstetric and neonatal outcomes: FitMum randomized controlled trial

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Roland, Caroline B., Knudsen, Signe dP., Alomairah, Saud A., Jessen, Anne D., Jensen, Ida K. B., Brændstrup, Nina, Molsted, Stig, Jensen, Andreas K. +4 more·2023·BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
DOI 10.1186/s12884-023-05507-7PMC PMC10050797
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Abstract

Background: To investigate the effects of two different exercise interventions during pregnancy on gestational weight gain (GWG) and obstetric and neonatal outcomes compared to standard care. Additionally, we aimed to improve standardization of GWG measurements by developing a model to estimate GWG for a standardized pregnancy period of 40 weeks and 0 days accounting for individual differences in gestational age (GA) at delivery. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial we compared the effects of structured supervised exercise training (EXE) three times per week throughout pregnancy versus motivational counselling on physical activity (MOT) seven times during pregnancy with standard care (CON) on GWG and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Uniquely, to estimate GWG for a standardized pregnancy period, we developed a novel model to predict GWG based on longitudinally observed body weights during pregnancy and at admission for delivery. Observed weights were fitted to a mixed effects model that was used to predict maternal body weight and estimate GWG at different gestational ages. Obstetric and neonatal outcomes, among them gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and birth weight, were obtained after delivery. GWG and the investigated obstetric and neonatal outcomes are secondary outcomes of the randomized controlled trial, which might be underpowered to detect intervention effects on these outcomes. Results: From 2018–2020, 219 healthy, inactive pregnant women with median pre-pregnancy BMI of 24.1 (21.8–28.7) kg/m 2 were included at median GA 12.9 (9.4–13.9) weeks and randomized to EXE ( n = 87), MOT ( n = 87) or CON ( n = 45). In total 178 (81%) completed the study. GWG at GA 40 weeks and 0 days did not differ between groups (CON: 14.9 kg [95% CI, 13.6;16.1]; EXE: 15.7 kg [14.7;16.7]; MOT: 15.0 kg [13.6;16.4], p = 0.538), neither did obstetric nor neonatal outcomes. For example, there were no differences between groups in the proportions of participants developing GDM (CON: 6%, EXE: 7%, MOT: 7%, p = 1.000) or in birth weight (CON: 3630 (3024–3899), EXE: 3768 (3410–4069), MOT: 3665 (3266–3880), p = 0.083). Conclusions: Neither structured supervised exercise training nor motivational counselling on physical activity during pregnancy affected GWG or obstetric and neonatal outcomes compared to standard care. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT03679130; 20/09/2018.

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  • The FitMum trial and pedometer-based activity monitoring demonstrate that enhanced physical activity can favorably influence GWG and some perinatal outcomes, though effects on maternal metabolic health and child outcomes remain minimal or uncertain.

    “The FitMum trial and pedometer-based activity monitoring demonstrate that enhanced physical activity can favorably influence GWG and some perinatal outcomes, though effects on maternal metabolic health and child outcomes remain minimal or uncertain [183].”

    From Maternal Overnutrition and Fetal Programming: Long-Term Metabolic, Cognitive, and Epigenetic Consequences (2026) · cites this paper as [183]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Roland, C. B., Knudsen, S. D., Alomairah, S. A., Jessen, A. D., Jensen, I. K. B., Brændstrup, N., Molsted, S., Jensen, A. K., Stallknecht, B., Bendix, J. M., Clausen, T. D., & Løkkegaard, E.
Affiliations
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Saudi Electronic University (SA)
  • Copenhagen University Hospital (DK)
Corresponding author
Roland, Caroline B.
ORCID
Venue
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2023-03-29
Volume
23
Issue
1
Pages
214-214
ISSN
1471-2393 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/s12884-023-05507-7
PMC
PMC10050797
OpenAlex
W4361288709
Cited by
17
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4
FWCI
5.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Copenhagen Center for Health Technology (061017)
  • The Independent Research Fund Denmark (8020-00353B)
  • TrygFonden (128509)
  • Beckett-Fonden (17-2-0883)
  • Aase og Ejnar Danielsens Fond (10-002052)
  • Familien Hede Nielsens Fond (2017-1142)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gestational Diabetes Research and Management
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
Keywords
exercise during pregnancy, gestational weight gain, supervised exercise, motivational counseling, gestational diabetes mellitus, birth weight, obstetric outcomes, neonatal outcomes, gestational age at delivery, mixed models, intervention standardization
MeSH terms
Gestational Weight Gain, Birth Weight, Exercise Therapy, Female, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Pregnancy, Weight Gain, Body Mass Index, Diabetes, Gestational

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