Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Hipfl, M.
THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN PREGNANCY ON FETAL BODY COMPOSITION, BIRTH WEIGHT AND FAT DISTRIBUTION
Humanmedizin; [ Diplomarbeit ] Medical University of Graz; 2014. pp. 47
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- Authors Med Uni Graz:
- Advisor:
- Csapo Bence Daniel
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- Abstract:
- Introduction: Physical activity during pregnancy has been determined as a major factor contributing to fetal growth and body composition, besides maternal nutrition, gestational diabetes and obesity. Just as complete lack of physical activity, training at high or moderate levels during pregnancy influences fetal growth and possibly even fetal body composition and an alteration in neonatal fat mass could be one of the underlying causes. Relevance: We postulate, babies delivered by physical active women have an altered body composition. Newborns who are lean at birth, show a tendency of staying lean in their later life. If proven, these results could play a key role in developing low cost interventions to improve the later health of children. Aims: To investigate the effect of moderate exercise during pregnancy on neonatal body composition and fat distribution. Method: This prospective and observational pilot study follows 39 healthy pregnant women throughout their pregnancy. Depending whether they were physically active or not, women were assessed into two groups of about equal size. Exercise behaviour before pregnancy was investigated with a short screening questionnaire and objectified during pregnancy with an accelerometer. Patients were examined three times during pregnancy for 7 days each in all three trimesters. The new-born´s subcutaneous fat was measured on 15 different body sites on the second day of life using a lipometer an optical measuring system, which computes the thickness of a given fatty layer in mm at any given site of the human body. Ascertained data was analysed using Excel and SPSS. Results: Although the difference found between both groups in regards to fetal birth weight, body composition and fat distribution were not statistically significant, the null hypothesis could not be rejected, our data shows an emerging trend of bigger but leaner babies born to women who exercise regularly during pregnancy. Also these women seemed to gain less weight during pregnancy. Conclusion: Our findings represent a trend of heavier but leaner babies born to women who are physically active during pregnancy. Correlating with these results there also was tendency of smaller maternal gestational weight gain in these participants. Birth weight, fat distribution and maternal gestational weight gain all are known to contribute to the later health of -children in regards to obesity. Therefore further investigation concerning this both clinically and practically highly relevant topic is indispensable and should include longitudinal, observational studies.