Regular exercise in the first trimester of pregnancy reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, but physical activity for the expectant mother also has other important benefits. If a woman moves a lot, she literally helps her child breathe, scientists say.
The study by scientists from the University of Society was presented during the congress of the European Respiratory Society (ERS), Medscape reports.
To assess the association between physical activity during pregnancy and infant lung function, the researchers used data from the population-based PreventADALL study on the prevalence of atopic dermatitis among children in Norway and Sweden. The new study included spirometry data (measuring the volume of air inhaled and exhaled) of 814 infants aged three months. Scientists also analyzed information on the physical activity of mothers at the 18th week of pregnancy.
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Overall, 5.8% of children in this cohort had reduced lung function. Of these, 8.6% of babies were born to mothers who maintained low physical activity during pregnancy. At the same time, among children of active mothers there were 4.2% of such children. In addition, this group of children had the highest rates of respiratory function.
“Previous studies have shown that people with low lung function in infancy have an increased risk of asthma and other obstructive respiratory diseases. The potential link between maternal inactivity and low lung function in infancy reinforces the importance of counseling pregnant women about physical activity,” said study lead author Dr. Hrefna Katrin Gudmundsdottir.