The one-year morphometric and neurodevelopmental outcome of the offspring of women who continued to exercise regularly throughout pregnancy.

Objective: Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that continuing regular exercise throughout pregnancy alters morphometric and neurodevelopmental outcome at 1 year.

Study Design: The offspring of 52 women who exercised were compared with those of 52 control subjects who were similar in terms of multiple prenatal and postnatal variables known to influence outcome. All women were enrolled before pregnancy and had clinically normal antenatal and postnatal courses.

Comparison of five-site skinfold thicknesses in late pregnancy vs early postpartum.

To test the hypothesis that the sum (∑) of five skinfold thicknesses in the immediate postpartum period is significantly less than that obtained in the last month of pregnancy in healthy American women, a standardized approach was used to measure skinfold thicknesses at five sites in 81 healthy, active women. Measures were obtained in the last month of pregnancy and again in the first month postpartum. Prior to pregnancy the subjects ranged in age from 24-39 years and weighed between 45-87 kg.

The effect of regular maternal exercise on erythropoietin in cord blood and amniotic fluid.

Objective: Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that continuing regular, high-intensity exercise until the onset of labor produces significant fetal hypoxemia, as evidenced by elevated erythropoietin levels in the fetal compartment.

Study Design: Erythropoietin levels were measured in samples of amniotic fluid and cord blood obtained from fetuses born to 31 exercising women and 29 matched controls.

Results: Erythropoietin levels (mean +/- SEM) in amniotic fluid obtained at the time of membrane rupture (9 +/- 2 vs 11 +/- 2 mU/ml) and in cord blood (38 +/- 6 vs 53 +/- 16 mU/ml) and amniotic fluid at delivery (9 +/- 1 vs 24 +/- 12 mU/ml) were no different in women who exercised regularly until the onset of labor.

Second-trimester placental volumes predict birth weight at term.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that second-trimester placental growth is a major determinant of size at birth in healthy, active women.

Methods: Three serial measurements of fetal morphometry and placental volume were obtained between the 14th and 26th weeks of an accurately dated singleton pregnancy in 40 subjects.

Results: Second-trimester placental volumes were variable, increasing from (mean +/- standard deviation) 130 +/- 35 to 248 +/- 67 and to 375 +/- 92 cm3 at 16, 20, and 24 weeks, with an average growth rate of 31 +/- 8 cm3/weeks.