Javier Coterón

Exercise during pregnancy improves maternal glucose screen at 24–28 weeks: a randomised controlled trial

Objective The influence of an exercise programme performed by healthy pregnant women on maternal glucose tolerance was studied. Study design A physical activity (PA, land/aquatic activities) programme during the entire pregnancy (three sessions per week) was conducted by a qualified instructor. 83 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (EG, n=40) or a control (CG, n=43) group. 50 g maternal glucose screen (MGS), maternal weight gain and several pregnancy outcomes were recorded. Results Significant differences were found between study groups on the 50 g MGS. Values corresponding to the EG (103.8±20.4 mg/dl) were better than those of the CG (126.9±29.5 mg/dl), p=0.000. In addition, no differences in maternal weight gain and no cases of gestational diabetes in EG versus 3 in CG (7%) (p>0.05) were found. Conclusion A moderate PA programme performed during pregnancy improves levels of maternal glucose tolerance.

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 during pregnancy reduces the rate of cesarean and instrumental deliveries: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: In this study, the authors assessed the effects of a structured, moderate-intensity exercise program during the entire length of pregnancy on a woman’s method of delivery. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 290 healthy pregnant Caucasian (Spanish) women with a singleton gestation who were randomly assigned to either an exercise (n = 138) or a control (n = 152) group. Pregnancy outcomes, including the type of delivery, were measured at the end of the pregnancy. Results: The percentage of cesarean and instrumental deliveries in the exercise group were lower than in the control group (15.9%, n = 22; 11.6%, n = 16 vs. 23%, n = 35; 19.1%, n = 29, respectively; p = 0.03). The overall health status of the newborn as well as other pregnancy outcomes was unaffected. Conclusions: Based on these results, a supervised program of moderate-intensity exercise performed throughout pregnancy was associated with a reduction in the rate of cesarean, instrumental deliveries and can be recommended for healthy women in pregnancy.

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.

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.

Regular Exercise Throughout Pregnancy Is Associated With a Shorter First Stage of Labor

Purpose. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor stages. Design. Study was a randomized controlled trial. Setting. The study took place at Hospital Puerta de Hierro and Hospital Severo Ochoa in Madrid, Spain. Subjects. We examined 166 pregnant women (31.6 ± 3.8 years), and all had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these 83 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 83 to the control group (CG). Intervention. Women from the EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included 55- to 60-minute sessions, 3 days per week. Measures. Pregnancy outcomes were measured: duration of labor stages, gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord. Analysis. Students unpaired t-tests and χ2 tests were used; p values of < .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohens d was used to determine the effect size. Results. Significant differences were found in the duration of the first stage of labor (EG = 389.6 ± 347.64 minutes vs. CG = 515.72 ± 353.36 minutes; p = .02, effect size Cohens d = .36). The second and third stages did not differ between the study groups. Conclusion. A physical exercise program during pregnancy is associated with a shorter first stage of labor. These results may have important relevance to public health.

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.

Does Exercise During Pregnancy Affect Placental Weight?: A Randomized Clinical Trial:

Placental weight (PW) is a measure commonly used to summarize growth and aspects of placental function. In a normal pregnancy, it is reasonable to assume that PW is related to aspects of the functional capacity of the placenta. The placenta, as the site for all maternal–fetal oxygen and nutrient exchange, influences birth weight and is thus central to a successful pregnancy outcome. PW is the most common way to characterize placental growth, which relates to placental function. With physical exercise becoming an integral part of life for many women, the question of whether exercise during pregnancy has an adverse effect on the growing fetus is very important. The aim was to examine the influence of an aerobic exercise program throughout pregnancy on PW among healthy pregnant women. A randomized control trial was used (registration trial number: NCT02420288). Women were randomized into an exercise group (EG; n = 33) or a control group (CG; n = 32) that received standard care. The EG trained 3 days/week (55–60 min/session) from gestational Weeks 9–11 until Weeks 38–39. The 85 training sessions involved aerobic, muscular and pelvic floor strength, and flexibility exercises. PW and other pregnancy outcomes were measured. There was high attendance to the exercise program, and no differences in the PW at delivery were observed between study groups (CG = 493.2 ± 119.6 g vs. EG = 495.4 ± 150 g, p = .95). A regular, supervised exercise program throughout pregnancy does not affect the PW in healthy pregnant women.

The Effects of a Physical Education Intervention to Support the Satisfaction of Basic Psychological Needs on the Motivation and Intentions to Be Physically Active

Abstract The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of an intervention to support the basic psychological needs on the satisfaction of these needs, intrinsic motivation, intention to be physically active and some enjoyment-related outcomes in Physical Education. The present study incorporated strategies presented by Standage and Ryan (2012) in a previous study. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with two groups (nexperimental = 30; ncontrol = 23) of 2nd year Secondary Education students aged between 13 and 15 (M = 13.35, SD = .62) by delivering 24 physical education classes. The teacher in the experimental group underwent prior and continual training. The results revealed that the students from the experimental group showed a significant increase in the perception of autonomy and competence. Furthermore, the experimental group showed a greater perception than the control group in the enjoyment related to learning and contents. These results provide information about the efficacy of an intervention programme based on the strategies presented by Standage and Ryan (2012) to foster satisfaction of basic psychological needs and facilitate support for basic psychological needs to promote the development of positive learning-related outcomes.

Exercise During Pregnancy Protects Against Hypertension and Macrosomia: Randomized Clinical Trial

(Abstracted from Am J Obstet Gynecol 2016;214:649.e1–649.e8)Up to 10% of all pregnancies are affected by some form of hypertension, with the rates of diagnosis varying according to the country, population studied, and the criteria used to diagnose the problem. Since these clinical issues may range i