Physical activity during pregnancy and adverse birth outcome: a prospective cohort study in China

Abstract

Objectives

The relationship between prenatal physical activity (PA) and adverse birth outcomes is still inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the association between PA during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes by using data from the Guangxi Zhuang birth cohort (GZBC) in China.

Study Design

A total of 11,292 mother-infant pairs were included from GZBC in China. The information on PA status, intensity, adequacy, and volume and birth outcomes were collected. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were applied to analyze the effects of PA during pregnancy on birth weight z-scores (BW z-scores) and gestational age and risk of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and preterm birth (PTB), respectively. Cubic spline analysis was conducted to detect a nonlinear dose-response of total weekly activity metabolic equivalents (MET) and birth outcomes.

Results

Compared to no regular PA during pregnancy, moderate and high-intensity PA (MVPA) was associated with increase BW z-scores (β = 0.08, 95%CI: 0.002, 0.15, p = .044) and associated with a marginal significant decrease in risk of PTB (OR = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.51, 1.05, p = .093). However, PA had no relationship with gestational age and risk of SGA, and Nonlinear relationships were not observed between total weekly activity MET and risk of SGA and PTB.

Conclusion

These finding shows that PA during pregnancy may increase the BW z-score and reduce risk of PTB, supporting the guidelines that pregnant women should be encouraged to engage in appropriate physical activity during pregnancy in China.

Keywords:

• Pregnancy
• physical activity
• Preterm birth
• small-for-gestational age
• cohort study

Acknowledgments

This study is the result of the joint efforts of many people and institutions. We acknowledge the participants for their support and the study staff for their contributions in the study. We are very grateful to the following institutions for their strong support and cooperation: Tiandong People’s Hospital, Tiandong Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jingxi People’s Hospital, Jingxi Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Pingguo People’s Hospital, Pingguo Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Debao People’s Hospital, Debao Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Longan People’s Hospital, Wuming People’s Hospital, Wuming Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, and Clinical Epidemiology Research Center for Complex Diseases of Guangxi Medical University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [82160623, 81460517 and 81860587], and Guangxi Key Research and Development Program [AB17195012].