During pregnancy, a sedentary lifestyle may have negative consequences on maternal and foetal health status. The main objective of this project is to assess the effects of an exercise intervention in overweight and grade I obese pregnant on maternal and foetal health markers. The present study aims to recruit 60 overweight and grade I obese women interested in participating in an exercise intervention program from the 17th gestational week until delivery. Women will be randomized to either an exercise (three 60-min sessions/week of combined aerobic and strength training and pelvic floor exercises), or usual care (control) group (30 women per group). The primary outcome measures are maternal weight gain, and maternal and neonatal glycaemic profile. Secondary outcome measures are: i) perinatal obstetric records; i) body composition; iii) dietary patterns; iv) physical fitness; v) low-back pain; vi) objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour; vii) haematology and biochemical analyses; viii) oxidative stress; ix) pro- and anti-inflammatory markers; x) bone health biomarkers; xi) sleep quality; xii) mental health, quality of life and positive health. The findings of this project will help to identify strategies for primary prevention and health promotion based on this exercise-based intervention program among overweight and grade I obese pregnant women. NCT02582567 ; Date of registration: 20/10/2015

The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of a supervised concurrent exercise-training program, from the 17th gestational week until delivery, on cytokines in maternal (at 17th and 35th gestational week, and at delivery) and arterial and venous cord serum. Fifty-eight Caucasian pregnant women (age: 33.5 ± 4.7 years old, body mass index: 23.6 ± 4.1kg/m²) from the GESTAFIT Project (exercise (n = 37) and control (n = 21) groups) participated in this quasi-experimental study (per-protocol basis). The exercise group followed a 60-min 3 days/week concurrent (aerobic-resistance) exercise-training from the 17th gestational week to delivery. Maternal and arterial and venous cord serum cytokines (fractalkine, interleukin (IL)–1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon (IFN)–γ, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α) were assessed using Luminex xMAP technology. In maternal serum (after adjusting for the baseline values of cytokines), the exercise group decreased TNF-α (from baseline to 35th week, p = 0.02), and increased less IL-1β (from baseline to delivery, p = 0.03) concentrations than controls. When adjusting for other potential confounders, these differences became non-significant. In cord blood, the exercise group showed reduced arterial IL-6 and venous TNF-α (p = 0.03 and p = 0.001, respectively) and higher concentrations of arterial IL-1β (p = 0.03) compared to controls. The application of concurrent exercise-training programs could be a strategy to modulate immune responses in pregnant women and their fetuses. However, future research is needed to better understand the origin and clearance of these cytokines, their role in the maternal-placental-fetus crosstalk, and the influence of exercise interventions on them.

To analyse i) the association of physical fitness during early second trimester and late pregnancy with maternal and neonatal outcomes; and ii) to investigate whether physical fitness is associated with the type of birth (vaginal or caesarean section). Pregnant women from the GESTAFIT Project (n = 159) participated in this longitudinal study. Maternal physical fitness including upper- and lower-body strength, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and flexibility were measured through objective physical fitness tests at the 16^th and 34^th gestational weeks. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were collected from obstetric medical records. Umbilical arterial and venous blood gas pH and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO₂) and oxygen (PO₂), were assessed. At the 16^th week, greater upper-body muscle strength was associated with greater neonatal birth weight (r = 0.191, p<0.05). Maternal flexibility was associated with a more alkaline arterial pH (r = 0.220, p<0.05), higher arterial PO₂ (r = 0.237, p<0.05) and lower arterial PCO₂ (r = -0.331, p<0.01) in umbilical cord blood. Maternal CRF at the 16^th gestational week was related to higher arterial umbilical cord PO₂ (r = 0.267, p<0.05). The women who had caesarean sections had lower CRF (p<0.001) at the 16^th gestational week and worse clustered overall physical fitness, both at the 16^th (-0.227, p = 0.003, confidence interval (CI): -0.376, -0.078) and 34^th gestational week (-0.223; p = 0.018; CI: -0.432, -0.015) compared with the women who had vaginal births. Increasing physical fitness during pregnancy may promote better neonatal outcomes and is associated with a decrease in the risk of caesarean section. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02582567) on October 20, 2015.

Objective: The primary aim was to analyze the association of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with menopause symptomatology and its overall impact. A secondary/exploratory aim was to assess the association of different components of physical fitness with menopause symptomatology. Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 191 perimenopausal women from Southern Spain (age range 45–60 years, mean age 52.6 ± 4.5 years). The Blatt–Kupperman Menopausal Index was used to evaluate menopause symptomatology. Objectively measured MVPA was registered with accelerometry. Physical fitness was assessed with the Senior Fitness Test battery plus handgrip strength and sit-and-reach tests. Results: After adjustment for multiple confounders, MVPA was only inversely associated with vertigo (r = −0.185, p < 0.05) and palpitations (r = −0.148, p < 0.05). Upper-body flexibility was inversely associated with the Blatt–Kupperman Menopausal Index global score (r = −0.147, p < 0.05). This test was also inversely associated with vertigo (r = −0.230, p < 0.01) and arthralgia (r = −0.168, p < 0.05). Lower-body muscle strength was associated with lower nervousness (r = −0.171, p < 0.05). Cardiorespiratory fitness was inversely associated with paresthesia (r = −0.158, p < 0.05), vertigo (r = −0.219, p < 0.01), fatigue (r = −0.159, p < 0.05) and arthralgia (r = −0.180, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The main findings of the present study indicate a weak association of objectively measured MVPA with menopause symptomatology. Exploratory analyses suggest that upper-body flexibility was associated with slightly lower overall menopause impact whereas neither MVPA nor any physical fitness components studied were associated with vasomotor symptoms.