Ignacio Refoyo

A program of exercise throughout pregnancy. Is it safe to mother and newborn

Purpose. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a program of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on maternal and fetal parameters. Design. The study design was a randomized controlled trial. Setting. The study took place at the Hospital of Fuenlabrada in Madrid, Spain. Sample. Analyzed were 200 pregnant women (31.54 ± 3.86 years), all of whom had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these subjects, 107 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 93 to the control group (CG). Intervention. Women from EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included a total of 55- to 60-minute weekly sessions, 3 days per week. Measures. Pregnancy outcomes. Maternal: gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, blood pressure during pregnancy, gestational diabetes (n/%). Fetal: birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord. Analysis. Students unpaired t-test and χ2 test were used; p values of ≤ .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohens d was used to determine the effect size. Results. There were significantly more pregnant women in the CG who gained excessive weight during their pregnancies than in the EG group (CG: N = 31, 35.6% versus N = 22, 21.2%; χ2 = 4.95; p =.02). The effect size was small (Phi value =.16). Other pregnancy outcome showed no differences between groups. Conclusion. A regular and moderate physical exercise program throughout pregnancy is not a risk to maternal and fetal well-being, and it helps to control excessive weight gain.

Exercise Throughout Pregnancy Does not Cause Preterm Delivery: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND In spite of an extensive knowledge of the physiologic features of exercise during pregnancy, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the effects of different types, intensities and duration of exercise throughout pregnancy on maternal and fetal well being. The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of an aerobic exercise program throughout pregnancy on gestational age at the moment of delivery. METHODS This study was a randomized controlled trial. Three hundred and twenty Caucasian (Spanish) healthy pregnant women with singleton gestation were randomly assigned to either an exercise (n = 160) or a control (n = 160) group. Gestational age (weeks) and other outcomes were measured. The exercise program included 85 sessions (general fitness class, 3 times/week, 55-60 min/session from weeks 8-10 to weeks 38-39 of pregnancy). RESULTS Two hundred and ninety women were analyzed (exercise group EG, n = 138, control group CG, n = 152). The mean gestational age did not differ between groups (EG= 39.7 ± 1.3 vs CG= 39.6 ± 1.1 weeks, P = .81). Relative to preterm deliveries in EG we found 6 (4.3%) and 11 (7.2%) in CG, (P = .73). CONCLUSIONS A supervised program of moderate exercise performed throughout pregnancy is not a risk of preterm delivery for healthy pregnant women.

A Model of Heart Rate Kinetics in Response to Exercise

Abstract We present a mathematical model, in the form of two coupled ordinary differential equations, for the heart rate kinetics in response to exercise. Our heart rate model is an adaptation of the model of oxygen uptake kinetics of Stirling et al. [21]; a physiological justification for this adaptation, as well as the physiological basis of our heart rate model is provided. We also present the optimal fit of the heart rate model to a set of raw un averaged data for multiple constant intensity exercises for an individual at a particular level of fitness.

Exercise during pregnancy attenuates prenatal depression: a randomized controlled trial.

Recent studies have estimated the prevalence of depression during pregnancy to be between 10% and 30%, which is higher than that in the postpartum period. Pharmacological treatment during pregnancy is difficult because of the possible side effects of antidepressants on the mother and the fetus. The aim of this study was to examine whether a supervised exercise program (EP) reduces depressive symptoms in pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial was designed. One hundred eighty four healthy pregnant women from Fuenlabrada Hospital were included (31.37 ± 3.62 years). Women from the exercise group (EG) participated in a supervised EP consisting of three, 55- to 60-min sessions per week throughout pregnancy. The main outcome measure was the patients’ depression level assessed by means of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A total of 167 pregnant women were analyzed; 90 were allocated to the EG and 77 to the control group (CG). Significant differences were found between groups at the end of the study in CES-D scores (EG: 7.67 ± 6.30 vs. CG: 11.34 ± 9.74, p = .005) and in percentages of pregnant women depressed (EG: n = 11/12.2% vs. CG: n = 19/24.7%, p = .04). Our results show that supervised physical exercise during pregnancy reduces the level of depression and its incidence in pregnant women.

Aquatic Activities During Pregnancy Prevent Excessive Maternal Weight Gain and Preserve Birth Weight: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a supervised and regular program of aquatic activities throughout gestation on maternal weight gain and birth weight. Design: A randomized clinical trial. Setting: Instituto de Obstetricia, Ginecología y Fertilidad Ghisoni (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Participants: One hundred eleven pregnant women were analyzed (31.6 ± 3.8 years). All women had uncomplicated and singleton pregnancies; 49 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 62 to the control group (CG). Intervention: The intervention program consisted of 3 weekly sessions of aerobic and resistance aquatic activities from weeks 10 to 12 until weeks 38 to 39 of gestation. Measures: Maternal weight gain, birth weight, and other maternal and fetal outcomes were obtained by hospital records. Analysis: Student unpaired t test and χ2 test were used; P values ≤.05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen’s d was used to determinate the effect size. Results: There was a higher percentage of women with excessive maternal weight gain in the CG (45.2%; n = 28) than in the EG (24.5%; n = 12; odds ratio = 0.39; 95% confidence interval: 0.17-0.89; P = .02). Birth weight and other pregnancy outcomes showed no differences between groups. Conclusion: Three weekly sessions of water activities throughout pregnancy prevents excessive maternal weight gain and preserves birth weight. Trial Registration: The clinicaltrial.gov identifier: NCT 02602106.

La finalización de las posesiones en baloncesto: estudio de la acción de finalización

En esta investigacion se analiza la finalizacion del ataque desde la perspectiva tactica, estudiando la accion de finalizacion. Utilizando la metodologia observacional, se analizan 4605 posesiones de Liga ACB y Liga Femenina de la temporada 2009/10; con los objetivos de estudiar la finalizacion de las posesiones en Liga ACB y Liga Femenina, para conocer las acciones de finalizacion mas habituales y estudiar su asociacion con el tipo de ataque, la zona desde la que se finaliza y el resultado de la posesion. Haciendo un analisis general de los datos, se observa que aproximadamente la mitad de los ataques finalizan a partir de una ventaja generada de una jugada individual o de un bloqueo directo (27,8% y 28,7% de las posesiones de Liga ACB analizadas y 28,9% y 17,5% de las de Liga Femenina). En un analisis pormenorizado, se aprecian diferencias estadisticamente significativas en el uso de las acciones de finalizacion en Liga ACB y Liga Femenina (Chi-cuadrado para una muestra p=0,000), a pesar de que en las dos subpoblaciones la jugada individual exterior es la accion mas utilizada y una de las que tienen mejores resultados. En ACB predominan las finalizaciones con bloqueo directo, con buenos porcentajes de eficacia; en Liga Femenina los movimientos sin balon, la circulacion de balon y la jugada individual exterior e interior son las acciones mas propicias y efectivas para la finalizacion. Aunque las finalizaciones de los ataques posicionales parten de acciones variadas, las de los contraataques y transiciones estan condicionadas por el tipo de ataque al que pertenecen; ademas la accion de finalizacion esta asociada a la zona de finalizacion y ligeramente al resultado.