Influência da atividade física sobre a prematuridade e o ganho de peso materno: Coorte de Nascimentos de Pelotas de 2015

Abstract

Pregnancy is a moment of rapid transformations and, in some cases, may result in several health complications for women and children. Excessive weight gain and postpartum weight retention have been alarmingly on the rise and are predictors of several negative outcomes to maternal child-heath. Prematurity is also worryingly determined because of its consequences for maternal and child health and high estimates, in addition to be the leading cause of neonatal mortality. Better health behaviors during pregnancy are associated with several short- and long-term benefits. Regular physical activity during this period may protect against the development of pregnancy-related diseases, improve factors related to women's well-being and mental health and is associated with neonatal outcomes such as gestation length, newborn's weight and size at birth, it also extends to life-long gains in child's health. Thus, the present thesis aimed to evaluate the association between physical activity and the risk of prematurity; and the association with gestational weight gain and postpartum weight maintenance. To respond to the objectives, two papers were written with data from the Pelotas 2015 Birth Cohort, which is a longitudinal survey that tracks the health of mothers and childrendborn in 2015, in the city of Pelotas, throughout their lives, since the prenatal care. The first article measured the association between prematurity and physical activity according to each trimester of pregnancy. A protective association with prematurity was found for women who engaged in leisure-time physical activity in the third trimester of pregnancy. In the second article, which verified the effect of physical activity on gestational weight gain and weight maintenance at three and 12 months after delivery, distinct results were observed. Women practicing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during pregnancy had a greater inadequate gestational weight gain and greater weight retention and weight loss at three months. At 12 months, women who performed any physical activity three months after delivery had greater weight loss while those who practiced moderate to vigorous physical activity presented greater weight loss and retention. However, women who underwent mild physical activity one year after delivery were protected from weight retention. The present thesis concluded that the physical activity during pregnancy, in different periods, intensities and measured by different methods, was associated with the studied outcomes. The importance of women engaging in regular physical activity before, during and after pregnancy is emphasized.