Physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

Mette Juhl; Jørn Olsen; Per Kragh Andersen; Ellen Aagaard Nøhr; Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033

Physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

Mette Juhl
, Jørn Olsen
, Per Kragh Andersen
, Ellen Aagaard Nøhr
, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen

University of Southern Denmark

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures.

STUDY DESIGN: Data on 79,692 liveborn singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort were collected between 1996 and 2002. Mean differences in birthweight, length, ponderal index, head and abdominal circumference, and placental weight and hazard ratios of small- and large-for-gestational-age babies were calculated.

RESULTS: Our data indicated smaller babies in exercising women compared with nonexercisers, but the differences were small, and only a few were statistically significant. Exercising women had a slightly decreased risk of having a child small for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.92) and large for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98).

CONCLUSION: The findings do not indicate sizable effects on fetal growth measures related to exercise apart from a modest decreased risk of small- and large-for-gestational-age infants. These findings do not speak against advising pregnant women to be physically active during pregnancy.

Original language	English
Journal	American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
Volume	202
Issue number	1
Pages (from-to)	63.e1-63.e8
ISSN	0002-9378
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033
Publication status	Published - Jan 2010
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Adult
Birth Weight
Body Height
Denmark
Exercise
Female
Fetus
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Small for Gestational Age
Journal Article
Organ Size
Placenta
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Access to Document

10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{d5339b5370904de1b14604a9d92f8e76,

title = "Physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort",

abstract = "OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures.STUDY DESIGN: Data on 79,692 liveborn singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort were collected between 1996 and 2002. Mean differences in birthweight, length, ponderal index, head and abdominal circumference, and placental weight and hazard ratios of small- and large-for-gestational-age babies were calculated.RESULTS: Our data indicated smaller babies in exercising women compared with nonexercisers, but the differences were small, and only a few were statistically significant. Exercising women had a slightly decreased risk of having a child small for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95\% confidence interval, 0.83-0.92) and large for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95\% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98).CONCLUSION: The findings do not indicate sizable effects on fetal growth measures related to exercise apart from a modest decreased risk of small- and large-for-gestational-age infants. These findings do not speak against advising pregnant women to be physically active during pregnancy.",

keywords = "Adult, Birth Weight, Body Height, Denmark, Exercise, Female, Fetus, Humans, Infant, Newborn, Infant, Small for Gestational Age, Journal Article, Organ Size, Placenta, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Outcome, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't",

author = "Mette Juhl and J{\o}rn Olsen and Andersen, \{Per Kragh\} and N{\o}hr, \{Ellen Aagaard\} and Andersen, \{Anne-Marie Nybo\}",

note = "Funding Information: The Danish National Research Foundation established the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, which initiated and created the Danish National Birth Cohort. The cohort is a result of a major Grant from this foundation. Additional support for the Danish National Birth Cohort is obtained from the Pharmacy Foundation, the Egmont Foundation, the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, and the Augustinus Foundation. This specific study was supported by Grants from the Danish Medical Research Council, the Augustinus Foundation, the Danish Midwifery Association, the Danish Graduate School in Public Health Sciences, and the Danish National Board of Health. None of the funders were involved in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the article.",

year = "2010",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033",

language = "English",

volume = "202",

pages = "63.e1--63.e8",

journal = "American Journal of Obstetrics \& Gynecology",

issn = "0002-9378",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures

T2 - a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

AU - Juhl, Mette

AU - Olsen, Jørn

AU - Andersen, Per Kragh

AU - Nøhr, Ellen Aagaard

AU - Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

N1 - Funding Information: The Danish National Research Foundation established the Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, which initiated and created the Danish National Birth Cohort. The cohort is a result of a major Grant from this foundation. Additional support for the Danish National Birth Cohort is obtained from the Pharmacy Foundation, the Egmont Foundation, the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, and the Augustinus Foundation. This specific study was supported by Grants from the Danish Medical Research Council, the Augustinus Foundation, the Danish Midwifery Association, the Danish Graduate School in Public Health Sciences, and the Danish National Board of Health. None of the funders were involved in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the article.

PY - 2010/1

Y1 - 2010/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures.STUDY DESIGN: Data on 79,692 liveborn singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort were collected between 1996 and 2002. Mean differences in birthweight, length, ponderal index, head and abdominal circumference, and placental weight and hazard ratios of small- and large-for-gestational-age babies were calculated.RESULTS: Our data indicated smaller babies in exercising women compared with nonexercisers, but the differences were small, and only a few were statistically significant. Exercising women had a slightly decreased risk of having a child small for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.92) and large for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98).CONCLUSION: The findings do not indicate sizable effects on fetal growth measures related to exercise apart from a modest decreased risk of small- and large-for-gestational-age infants. These findings do not speak against advising pregnant women to be physically active during pregnancy.

AB - OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the association between physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures.STUDY DESIGN: Data on 79,692 liveborn singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort were collected between 1996 and 2002. Mean differences in birthweight, length, ponderal index, head and abdominal circumference, and placental weight and hazard ratios of small- and large-for-gestational-age babies were calculated.RESULTS: Our data indicated smaller babies in exercising women compared with nonexercisers, but the differences were small, and only a few were statistically significant. Exercising women had a slightly decreased risk of having a child small for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.92) and large for gestational age (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.89-0.98).CONCLUSION: The findings do not indicate sizable effects on fetal growth measures related to exercise apart from a modest decreased risk of small- and large-for-gestational-age infants. These findings do not speak against advising pregnant women to be physically active during pregnancy.

KW - Adult

KW - Birth Weight

KW - Body Height

KW - Denmark

KW - Exercise

KW - Female

KW - Fetus

KW - Humans

KW - Infant, Newborn

KW - Infant, Small for Gestational Age

KW - Journal Article

KW - Organ Size

KW - Placenta

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Outcome

KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/72149108715

U2 - 10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033

DO - 10.1016/j.ajog.2009.07.033

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 19800601

SN - 0002-9378

VL - 202

SP - 63.e1-63.e8

JO - American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

JF - American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

IS - 1

ER -

Physical exercise during pregnancy and fetal growth measures: a study within the Danish National Birth Cohort

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this