Fitness Improvement in Obese, Pregnant Women: an Intervention Trial (InterGOFIT)

Laval University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Activity; Obesity; Pregnancy

Treatments: Other: Standard Care; Other: Exercise intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01610323

SC11-05-021-21

Details and patient eligibility

About

In pregnancy, the adoption or pursuit of a sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, maternal and childhood obesity, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, cesarean section and delivery of large-for-gestational-age infants (LGA).

The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that obese, pregnant women following a supervised moderate intensity physical conditioning program during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy will maintain a higher level of physical activity up to the end of pregnancy, as compared to women in the control group. We will also conduct a pilot study on the feasibility to examine the effects of the intervention on maternal fitness and neonatal anthropometry.

Full description

Looking at the multiple needs of pregnant women with obesity, physical conditioning may offer a great opportunity to improve fitness and to decrease cardio-metabolic disturbances, to prevent excessive weight gain, to improve general health status, and to reduce health care utilization. Furthermore, beneficial effects of fitness on adverse maternal health outcomes related to obesity might decrease the development of long-term obesity and metabolic repercussions in the offspring.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) recommends that all women without contraindication be encouraged to participate in aerobic and strength-conditioning exercises as part of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. Despite these recommendations, obese women are inactive during pregnancy and are currently still at high risk of poor physical fitness.

Thus, although exercise clearly improves maternal health status and thus potentially prevents adverse perinatal outcomes, obese pregnant women poorly adhere to experts' recommendations about the need for exercise during pregnancy. Therefore, this situation justifies the need to develop adapted strategies aimed at increasing the implementation of guideline recommendations in this population.

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• pregnant women 18 years or older
• single pregnancy
• delivery at Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec
• pre-pregnancy BMI ≥30 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

• multiple pregnancy
• diabetes or chronic hypertension prior to pregnancy
• uncontrolled thyroid problems
• exercise contraindications

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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50 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise group

Experimental group

Description:

Exercise intervention

Treatment:

Other: Exercise intervention

Control group

Other group

Description:

Standard care

Treatment:

Other: Standard Care