Effects of exercise during pregnancy in women with short cervix: Secondary analysis from the Italian Pessary Trial in singletons.
Publication/Presentation Date
10-1-2018
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effects of exercise during pregnancy in asymptomatic singleton pregnancies without prior spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) but with short transvaginal ultrasound cervical length (TVU CL).
STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of the Italian Pessary Trial for the Italian Preterm Birth Prevention (IPP) Working Group. In the original prospective randomized controlled trial asymptomatic singleton pregnancies without prior SPTB but with TVU CL ≤ 25 mm at 18 0/6-23 6/7 weeks were randomized into 1:1 ratio to either cervical pessary or no pessary. During their follow-up visits, women were asked about their activity. For the purpose of this secondary analysis, women were classified in the following groups, using the information obtained in the follow-up visit one month after randomization: 1) Exercise group, defined as women performing exercise ≥2 days a week for ≥20 min each day. 2) No exercise group, defined as women performing exercise < 2 days a week for ≥20 min each day. The primary outcome of this secondary analysis was PTB < 37 weeks.
RESULTS: 300 women were included in this analysis. 99 (33.0%) were included in the exercise group. 201 (67.0%) were included in the no exercise group. Of the 201 women in the no exercise group, 90 (44.8%) affirmed that they had reduced their activity after the diagnosis of short cervix despite the research staff recommendations, while the other 111 (55.2%) women performed a sedentary life style even before the diagnosis of short cervix. PTB < 37 weeks occurred in 22 women (22.2%) in the exercise group, and 66 women (32.8%) in the no exercise group (aOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.33-1.03).
CONCLUSION: In asymptomatic singleton pregnancies with short cervix, performing exercise ≥2 days a week for ≥20 min each day does not increase the risk of PTB but is indeed associated with a non-significant reduction in PTB < 37 weeks by 32%.
Volume
229
First Page
132
Last Page
136
ISSN
1872-7654
Published In/Presented At
Saccone, G., Berghella, V., Venturella, R., D'Alessandro, P., Arduino, B., Raffone, A., Giudicepietro, A., Visentin, S., Vitagliano, A., Martinelli, P., Zullo, F., & Italian Preterm Birth Prevention (IPP) Working Group (2018). Effects of exercise during pregnancy in women with short cervix: Secondary analysis from the Italian Pessary Trial in singletons. European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, 229, 132–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejogrb.2018.08.582
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
30173089
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article