Pregnant women who engaged in at least 20 minutes of moderate exercise such as walking at least three times per week increased the newborn child's brain development, according to researchers at the University of Montreal.
"Our research indicates that exercise during pregnancy enhances the newborn child's brain development," explained Professor Dave Ellemberg, who led the study.
"While animal studies have shown similar results, this is the first randomized controlled trial in humans to objectively measure the impact of exercise during pregnancy directly on the newborn's brain. We hope these results will guide public health interventions and research on brain plasticity. Most of all, we are optimistic that this will encourage women to change their health habits, given that the simple act of exercising during pregnancy could make a difference for their child's future." Ellemberg and his colleagues Professor Daniel Curnier and PhD candidate Élise Labonté-LeMoyne presented their findings today at the Neuroscience 2013 congress in San Diego.
As part of the study, researchers randomly assigned pregnant women who were entering their second trimester to either an exercise group or a sedentary group.
Women in the exercise group were asked to perform at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three times a week at a moderate intensity, which should lead to at least a slight shortness of breath, the researchers explained. Women in the sedentary group did not exercise.
Obstetricians have previously recommended pregnant women to rest during their pregnancy but it is now commonly accepted that inactivity actually increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, noted Daniel Curnier, Ph.D.
"Being active can ease postpartum recovery, make pregnancy more comfortable and reduce the risk of obesity in the children," he said.
"Given that exercise has been demonstrated to be beneficial for the adult's brain, we hypothesized that it could also be beneficial for the unborn child through the mother's actions."
