In 2011, a promising development for maternal health, researchers from a large tertiary care facility in Western Massachusetts have shown that tailored exercise interventions can effectively increase physical activity among pregnant women. The study, titled “Behaviors Affecting Baby and You (B.A.B.Y.),” led by Lisa Chasan-Taber and her team, focused on the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an exercise program designed specifically for pregnant women.

Physical activity during pregnancy is crucial, as it is associated with a reduced risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Despite this, many pregnant women remain inactive, and interventions to encourage exercise are limited. The B.A.B.Y. study aimed to address this gap by evaluating an individualized 12-week exercise program.

The study involved 110 prenatal care patients, with a significant portion (60%) being Hispanic. Participants were randomized into two groups: an exercise intervention arm (58 women) and a health and wellness control arm (52 women), starting at an average of 11.9 weeks into their pregnancies. The researchers used the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) to assess physical activity levels.

Results were encouraging. After 12 weeks, the exercise group experienced a much smaller decline in total physical activity (-1.0 MET-hours per week) compared to the control group, which saw a substantial decrease (-10.0 MET-hours per week). This difference was statistically significant (P = .03). Additionally, the exercise group reported an increase in sports and exercise activities (0.9 MET-hours per week), whereas the control group saw virtually no change (-0.01 MET-hours per week), with this difference also reaching statistical significance (P = .02).

The feedback from participants further highlighted the intervention’s success. An impressive 95% of those in the exercise group expressed satisfaction with the information provided, and 86% found the study materials interesting and useful.

These findings underscore the potential of tailored exercise programs to enhance physical activity among pregnant women, particularly in diverse populations. The success of the B.A.B.Y. study not only demonstrates the feasibility of such interventions but also points to their preliminary efficacy in improving maternal health outcomes.

Reference: Chasan-Taber, L., Silveira, M., Marcus, B. H., Braun, B., Stanek, E., & Markenson, G. (2011). Feasibility and efficacy of a physical activity intervention among pregnant women: the behaviors affecting baby and you (BABY) study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 8(s2), S228-S238.