The Effects Of Maternal Perinatal Exercise On Infant Neuromotor Outcomes

PURPOSE: Aerobic exercise during pregnancy improves infant neuromotor skills. Few studies have examined the effects of exercise modes (EM) during pregnancy on infant neuromotor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of EM during pregnancy on 1-month infant neuromotor outcomes. METHODS: Pregnant women were recruited and randomized to either aerobic (AE), resistance (RE), combination (AERE), or control (CON) groups. Participants completed 150 min/wk of supervised exercise. We collected prepregnancy activity, fitness level, race/ethnicity, and attendance. After delivery, we recorded delivery mode, infant sex, birth BMI, & 1-month infant BF%. Infant neuromotor skills were assessed using the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, 2nd Edition (PDMS-2). We used ANOVAs to compare EM groups; data was stratified by prepregnancy BMI (healthy weight, HW = BMI 18.5-24.99; overweight-obese, OO=BMI > 25) and infant sex (M, F). Regressions assessed predictors of 1-month neuromotor outcomes. RESULTS: Groups were similar in maternal and infant descriptors. Female offspring of HW women in AE and AERE groups had slightly higher Stationary subtest scores (p = 0.17). Female offspring of OO women in AE and RE groups had higher Stationary subtest scores (p = 0.02), slightly higher Locomotion subtest scores (p = 0.06), and higher GMQ scores (p = 0.05). For regressions, Reflex subtest scores were predicted by maternal exercise attendance, prepregnancy activity, fitness level, ethnicity, infant sex, and infant BF%. Stationary subtest scores were predicted by EM, prepregnancy activity, race, birth BMI and 1-month BMI. GMQ was predicted by EM, prepregnancy activity, delivery type, 1-month BF%, and birth BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy EM or attendance and prepregnancy activity influences 1-month infant neuromotor skills. All female infants had higher Stationary scores, while males had differential responses based on prepregnancy BMI. AE during pregnancy has a strong influence on 1-month infant neuromotor skills. Women should be encouraged to meet exercise recommendations during pregnancy to improve infant neuromotor outcomes.