Effects of Physical Activity on Blood Lipids and Hemoglobin A1c in Healthy Pregnant Women: The FitMum Randomized Controlled Trial

Ida Karoline Bach Jensen*, Caroline Borup Roland, Signe de Place Knudsen, Anne Dsane Jessen, Saud Abdulaziz Alomairah, Ole H. Mortensen, Lennart J. Friis-Hansen, Jane M. Bendix, Stig Molsted, Bente Stallknecht, Tine D. Clausen, Ellen Løkkegaard

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

Abstract

Objective
Maternal blood lipid and glucose concentrations during pregnancy affect fetal growth and the risk of pregnancy and delivery complications.

We aimed to investigate the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy on maternal blood lipid and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) concentrations. We hypothesized that higher PA was associated with improved lipid profile and glycemic control.

Methods
In a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial, we included 216 pregnant women before week 15 + 0 and tested the effects of two different PA interventions throughout pregnancy compared to standard care on maternal blood lipid and HbA1c concentrations. Additionally, we investigated the effect of PA per se measured by an activity tracker. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride, and HbA1c concentrations were measured at week ≤15 + 0, 28+0-6, 34+0-6, and at delivery (week 32 + 1 to 42 + 0). Effects of the interventions and PA per se were tested using linear mixed effects models and linear regression analyses, respectively.

Results
No effects of the PA interventions were detected on maternal lipids or HbA1c during pregnancy. In PA per se analyses, more minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA were associated with less increase in TC (−1.3E-04, P = .020) and LDL-C (−8.5E-05, P = .035) as pregnancy progresses. More active kilocalories were associated with less increase in TC (−5.5E-05, P < .001), HDL-C (−9.5E-06, P = .024), and LDL-C (−3.2E-05, P = .005).

Conclusion
Whilst there were no effects of offering PA interventions, higher PA was associated with reduced increases in TC, HDL-C, and LDL-C as pregnancy progressed.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftEndocrine Practice
Vol/bind30
Udgave nummer10
Sider (fra-til)927-936
ISSN1530-891X
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2024

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by The Independent Research Fund Denmark [8020-00353B], TrygFonden [128509], Copenhagen Center for Health Technology [061017], Beckett-Fonden [17\u20132-0883], Aase and Ejnar Danielsens Fond [10\u2013002052] and Familien Hede Nielsens Fond [2017\u20131142]. Financial support was also provided by the University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University Hospital \u2013 North Zealand, Hilleroed. None of the external funding bodies interfered with the design of the study, and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, and the eventual reporting of the study.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 AACE

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