TITLE: EXERCISE THROUGHOUT PREGNANCY IN ACTIVE INDIVIDUALS: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate how individuals who were physically active in the six months prior to conception exercised throughout their most recent pregnancy. More specifically, the study aims to analyse the volume, frequency, intensity, duration, and type of exercise completed in each trimester of pregnancy.

METHODS: A minimum of 63 participants will be recruited for the study. Eligible participants will have completed >150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, >75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, or an equivalent combination of both, on most weeks in the six months prior to conception. Additionally, participants must have used an exercise monitoring app (e.g., Strava) or a physical activity monitor (e.g., an Apple Watch) during their most recent pregnancy. Participants will be asked to share the exercise data recorded during their most recent pregnancy and provide information about relevant maternal and neonatal health outcomes via a series of online questionnaires. The primary outcome is the change in participants’ mean weekly exercise volume (expressed in MET-minutes per week) throughout each trimester of pregnancy. Reported maternal and neonatal health outcomes will be exploratory and include infant birth weight, gestational age at birth, gestational weight gain, and the incidence of specific health conditions (e.g., urinary incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, and lower back pain).

RESULTS: As of mid-September 2023, 18 participants have shared their training data and completed all surveys. On average, participants were 33 years old when they most recently gave birth (range: 29 – 40 years), and all participants gave birth within the last three years. Data collection is ongoing.

CONCLUSION: This study will contribute to an improved understanding of how active individuals modify their exercise behaviours as pregnancy progresses. The study will also explore the association between continued exercise during pregnancy and maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Disclosure(s): The authors have nothing to disclose.