The goal of this study was to examine how regular physical activity before and during pregnancy affected life quality throughout pregnancy. Between July 2020 and May 2021, 218 pregnant women were recruited from 11 outpatient clinics for this survey. Data were collected prospectively in a panel format beginning with the 10th gestational week over a 20-week period. Prior to pregnancy, a previous time point was also defined. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire, and the EQ-VAS questionnaire were used to collect data on the duration and intensity of daily physical exercises, as well as to assess health-related quality of life and self-estimated health status. The final survey included data from 113 women. During pregnancy, physical activity decreased dramatically. The duration of strenuous activities, but not moderate activities, was significantly reduced. Continuous physical activity independently predicted higher life quality scores at all points of assessment. Cases who participated in moderate and strenuous activities on a regular basis had higher self-estimated health status scores than cases who only participated in moderate activity. Instead of focusing solely on specific types of physical activity, we believe that strategies for motivating all pregnant women to be constantly active should be developed.

Background: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related hypertensive disease. Aberrant hormone levels have been implicated in blood pressure disorders. This study investigated the association of postpartum maternal serum hormone levels of estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, and ß-HCG with poorer PE-related complications including arterial hypertension. Methods: Thirty patient women with preeclampsia, and twenty women with uncomplicated pregnancy were included in this study. Serum levels of estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, and ß-HCG were determined immediately after delivery, and on the first and third postpartum days by means of ECLIA. Results: Compared with normal pregnancy cases, preeclampsia cases had higher serum levels of ß-HCG levels on Day-0 (319%), of progesterone on Day-0 (207%) and Day-1 (178%), and of estradiol on Day-1 (187%) and Day-3 (185%). Increased prolactin levels were positively associated with disease severity and estradiol and progesterone levels were decreased in poorer preeclampsia features including disease onset and IUGR diagnosis. No significant correlation between different hormone levels and blood pressure measurements was reported. Conclusions: This study is the first that detected postpartum maternal serum hormone levels and their correlation with blood pressure measurements in preeclampsia. We believe that the persistent arterial hypertension in the puerperium in preeclampsia as well as poorer disease specifications are most likely not of hormonal origin. Larger, well-defined prospective studies are recommended.