Research on Aquanatal Exercise in Pregnancy
Regular exercise during pregnancy has many benefits. It can help reduce many of the minor discomforts of pregnancy, such as backache and swelling. It also improves self-esteem, reduces postnatal depression, insomnia and pregnancy-induced diabetes. Exercise during pregnancy can also reduce the risk of premature birth. More generally, appropriate exercise will help you prepare physically and psychologically for the demands of labour, childbirth and motherhood.
Here are summaries of a few key research papers about Aquanatal exercise and exercise in pregnancy that I found particularly interesting. For a less 'scientific' summary, please see the page on the Benefits of Aquanatal Exercise.
Exercising in Pregnancy reduces the risk of premature birth.
A very large Danish study investigated the link between exercise and pregnancy in 87,232 Danish women who gave birth between 1996 and 2002. The women who exercised during pregnancy had a significantly reduced chance of premature birth than those who said they had not exercised during pregnancy. Interestingly, the study also showed that lots of exercise did not reduce the risk of premature birth any more than some exercise. This suggests that you don’t need to go ‘all out’ exercising to get the benefit. [M. Juhl & 6 others: Physical Exercise during Pregnancy and the Risk of Preterm Birth: A Study within the Danish National Birth Cohort in: American Journal of Epidemiology (2008) vol. 167, no. 7, pp.859-866.]
Aquanatal exercise reduces lower back pain in pregnancy.
This randomised controlled trial compared land-based pregnancy exercise to midwife-led aquanatal exercise in 390 pregnant women. The aim was to establish which type of exercise was better at reducing the rates of sick leave, pregnancy-related lower back pain and pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain. The team reported that significantly fewer women in the aquanatal group reported pregnancy-related lower back pain, compared to women exercising on land. The study also found a highly significant difference between the study groups in the number of women taking sick leave because of lower back pain. There was no difference in the rates of pelvic girdle pain between the two groups. The authors conclude that “water aerobics [aquanatal] should be offered to pregnant women, especially those with pregnancy-related lower back pain.” [A. Granath, M. Hellgren & R. Gunnarson: Water Aerobics Reduces Sick Leave due to Low Back Pain During Pregnancy in: Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatal Nursing (2006) vol. 35, pp.465-471.]
Aquanatal exercise reduces pregnancy discomfort, improves mobility and improves body image.
40 non-exercising women were split into two groups with one group participating in regular aquanatal exercise and the other undertaking no regular exercise. The researchers report that immersion and the physical comfort created by buoyancy improved mobility and reduced post-exercise pain. The hydrostatic pressure and resulting increase in venous blood pressure and urinary elimination helped to reduce lower extremity edema and swelling and the associated discomfort. Overall, the participants in the aquanatal exercise program reported significantly less physical discomfort, improved mobility, improved body image, and more health-promoting behavious than the non-exercising group. [S. Smith & Y. Michel: A Pilot Study on the Effects of Aquatic Exercises on Discomforts of Pregnancy in: Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatal Nursing (2006) vol. 35, pp.315-323.]
Exercising in Pregnancy reduces the risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
This literature review summarises many research articles on the subject. It reports that women who exercise during pregnancy reduce their risk of gestational diabetes by approximately 50% and the risk of pre-eclampsia by about 40%, compared to inactive women. The review also suggests that about 30 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity during pregnancy may be sufficient to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes. There is also a strong link between regular exercise and improved emotional well-being and reduction in stress and anxiety. It is thought that the drop in pre-eclampsia risk is, at least in part, due to the psychological benefits of regular physical activity. [J. Dempsey, C. Butler & A. Williams: No Need for a Pregnant Pause: Physical Activity May Reduce the Occurrence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Preeclampsia in: Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews (2005) vol. 33, no. 3, pp.141-149.]
Exercise and the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus.
This detailed review re-confirms the strong link between exercise, obesity and reduced risk of gestational diabetes. Women who were the most active before and during pregnancy, had the lowest prevalence of gestational diabetes. One cited study reported a 48% reduction in diabetes risk in women who were the most active of the study group within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. The overall risk of diabetes was reduced by 60% in women who were physically active during pregnancy as well as 1 year before they became pregnant. [M. Mottola: The Role of Exercise in the Prevention and Treatment of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in: Current Sports Medicine Reports (2007) vol. 6, pp.381-386.]
Many of the National Guidelines for Exercise during Pregnancy also contain substantial bibliographies of relevant research. You can find links to the Australian and other national guidelines on exercise during pregnancy on the page on ‘Guidelines for Exercise in Pregnancy’.