https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8484-0976
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Abstract
Introduction
Effect of physical activity in pregnancy on preeclampsia (PE) and angiogenic markers is not well understood. We studied the association of physical activity and PE in a case-control setting and assessed whether exercise in PE and non-PE women associate with maternal serum concentrations of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (s-Flt-1), placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble endoglin (sEng) and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in the Finnish Genetics of Pre-eclampsia Consortium (FINNPEC) cohort.
Materials and methods
Participants completed a questionnaire on their background information and serum samples were collected from a subset. Questionnaire data on physical activity were available from 708 PE women and 724 non-PE women. Both first trimester serum samples and questionnaire data on physical activity were available from 160 PE women and 160 non-PE women, and second/third trimester serum samples and questionnaire data on physical activity were available from 139 PE women and 47 non-PE women. The PE and non-PE women were divided into categories of physically active (exercise 2 − 3 times/week or more) and physically inactive (exercise less than 2 − 3 times/week).
Results
A total of 43.4% of the PE women and 42.4% of the non-PE women were categorized as physically active. There were no differences in physical activity and exercise habits between the groups. The physically active women were more often nulliparous and non-smokers and had a lower body mass index. There were no differences in the concentrations of angiogenic markers (sFlt-1, PlGF and sEng and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio) between the groups who exercised more or less than 2 − 3 times/week.
Conclusions
In the FINNPEC study cohort, there was no association between physical activity and PE and no associations of physical activity in pregnant women with and without PE with maternal serum concentrations of sFlt-1, PlGF and sEng and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio.
KEY MESSAGES
This is the first study to investigate the association of physical activity in pregnancy with concentrations of angiogenic markers while comparing pregnant women with and without preeclampsia.
There were no differences in the physical activity and exercise habits in pregnancy between women with and without preeclampsia in the FINNPEC cohort.
Physical activity of pregnant women with or without preeclampsia did not associate with the concentrations of angiogenic markers (sFlt-1, PlGF and sEng and sFlt-1/PlGF ratio).
Acknowledgements
We appreciate the expert technical assistance of Eija Kortelainen and the contributions of the members and assisting personnel of the FINNPEC Study Group.
The Finnish Genetics of Pre-eclampsia Consortium (FINNPEC) core investigator group
Hannele Laivuori, principal investigator, Medical and Clinical Genetics, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tampere University Hospital and Tampere University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health, Tampere, Finland.
Seppo Heinonen, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Eero Kajantie, PEDEGO Research Unit, Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland; Public Health Promotion Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki and Oulu, Finland; Children’s Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Health and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
Juha Kere, Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden; Folkhälsan Research Center and Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Katja Kivinen, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Anneli Pouta, Department of Government Services, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
Authors contributions
NJ, TJ, EE, and HL designed the research. The FINNPEC core investigator group established the study cohort. NJ analyzed the data. NJ wrote the first draft of the manuscript. TJ, EE, and HL contributed to the data analysis and interpretation and revised the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
The authors confirm that some access restrictions apply to the data. The researchers interested in using the data must obtain approval from the FINNPEC Board (steering committee). The researchers using the data are required to follow the terms of a number of clauses designed to ensure the protection of privacy and compliance with relevant Finnish laws. Data requests may be subject to further review by the Ethics Committee and may also be subject to individual participant consent.