Physical activity in pregnancy: a Norwegian-Swedish mother-child birth cohort studyAJOG MFM at a Glance

Oda C.L. Carlsen, BA; Hrefna K. Gudmundsdóttir, MD; Karen Eline S. Bains, MD; Randi Bertelsen, MSc, PhD; Karin C.L. Carlsen, MD, PhD; Kai-Håkon Carlsen, MD, PhD; Kim M.A. Endre, MD; Berit Granum, MSc, PhD; Guttorm Haugen, MD, PhD; Gunilla Hedlin, MD, PhD; Christine M. Jonassen, MD, PhD; Ina Kreyberg, MD; Linn Landrø, MD, PhD; Caroline-Aleksi Olsson Mägi, RN; Björn Nordlund, RN, PhD; Live S. Nordhagen, RN; Kristian Pehrson, BA; Carina M. Saunders, MD; Katrine Sjøborg, MD, PhD; Håvard O. Skjerven, MD, PhD; Anne Cathrine Staff, MD, PhD; Cecilie Svanes, MD, PhD; Cilla Söderhäll, MSc, PhD; Riyas Vettukattil, MD, PhD; Magdalena Værnesbranden, MD; Johanna Wiik, MD; Eva Maria Rehbinder, MD, PhD

AJOG Global Reports (Feb 2021)

Physical activity in pregnancy: a Norwegian-Swedish mother-child birth cohort studyAJOG MFM at a Glance

Oda C.L. Carlsen, BA,
Hrefna K. Gudmundsdóttir, MD,
Karen Eline S. Bains, MD,
Randi Bertelsen, MSc, PhD,
Karin C.L. Carlsen, MD, PhD,
Kai-Håkon Carlsen, MD, PhD,
Kim M.A. Endre, MD,
Berit Granum, MSc, PhD,
Guttorm Haugen, MD, PhD,
Gunilla Hedlin, MD, PhD,
Christine M. Jonassen, MD, PhD,
Ina Kreyberg, MD,
Linn Landrø, MD, PhD,
Caroline-Aleksi Olsson Mägi, RN,
Björn Nordlund, RN, PhD,
Live S. Nordhagen, RN,
Kristian Pehrson, BA,
Carina M. Saunders, MD,
Katrine Sjøborg, MD, PhD,
Håvard O. Skjerven, MD, PhD,
Anne Cathrine Staff, MD, PhD,
Cecilie Svanes, MD, PhD,
Cilla Söderhäll, MSc, PhD,
Riyas Vettukattil, MD, PhD,
Magdalena Værnesbranden, MD,
Johanna Wiik, MD,
Eva Maria Rehbinder, MD, PhD

Affiliations

Oda C.L. Carlsen, BA: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway (Ms O Carlsen and Dr Svanes); Corresponding author: Oda C.L. Carlsen, BA.
Hrefna K. Gudmundsdóttir, MD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Karen Eline S. Bains, MD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Randi Bertelsen, MSc, PhD: Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway (Ms Bertelsen); Oral Health Centre of Expertise in Western Norway, Hordaland, Bergen, Norway (Ms Bertelsen)
Karin C.L. Carlsen, MD, PhD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Kai-Håkon Carlsen, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Kim M.A. Endre, MD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Endre, Landrø, and Rehbinder)
Berit Granum, MSc, PhD: Department of Environmental Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway (Dr Granum)
Guttorm Haugen, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Haugen and Staff)
Gunilla Hedlin, MD, PhD: Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll); Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll)
Christine M. Jonassen, MD, PhD: Genetic Unit, Centre for Laboratory Medicine, Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway (Dr Jonassen); Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway (Dr Jonassen)
Ina Kreyberg, MD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Linn Landrø, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Endre, Landrø, and Rehbinder)
Caroline-Aleksi Olsson Mägi, RN: Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll); Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll)
Björn Nordlund, RN, PhD: Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll); Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll)
Live S. Nordhagen, RN: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); VID Specialized University, Oslo, Norway (Ms Nordhagen)
Kristian Pehrson, BA: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Norway (Pehrson)
Carina M. Saunders, MD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Katrine Sjøborg, MD, PhD: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway (Drs Sjøborg, Værnesbranden, and Wiik)
Håvard O. Skjerven, MD, PhD: Division of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, K Carlsen, Kreyberg, Saunders, and Skjerven); Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Anne Cathrine Staff, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Haugen and Staff)
Cecilie Svanes, MD, PhD: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway (Ms O Carlsen and Dr Svanes)
Cilla Söderhäll, MSc, PhD: Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll); Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Hedlin, Ms Mägi, and Drs Nordlund and Söderhäll)
Riyas Vettukattil, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder)
Magdalena Værnesbranden, MD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway (Drs Sjøborg, Værnesbranden, and Wiik)
Johanna Wiik, MD: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Østfold Hospital Trust, Kalnes, Norway (Drs Sjøborg, Værnesbranden, and Wiik); Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden (Dr Wiik)
Eva Maria Rehbinder, MD, PhD: Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (Drs Gudmundsdóttir, Bains, KC Carlsen, K-H Carlsen, Endre, Haugen, Kreyberg, and Landrø, Ms Nordhagen, and Drs Saunders, Skjerven, Staff, Vettukattil, Værnesbranden, and Rehbinder); Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway (Drs Endre, Landrø, and Rehbinder)

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 1, no. 1
p. 100002

Abstract

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BACKGROUND: Physical activity during pregnancy is important for maternal and offspring health. Optimal conditions during pregnancy may help reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases. National and international guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of physical activity of at least moderate intensity per week. To optimize physical activity in pregnant women, it is important to identify factors associated with higher levels of physical activity. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore types and levels of physical activity in midpregnancy in Norway and Sweden and to identify factors associated with higher levels of physical activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From the population-based mother-child cohort Preventing Atopic Dermatitis and Allergies in Children study recruiting 2697 women in Norway and Sweden from 2014 to 2016, we included 2349 women who answered an electronic questionnaire at enrollment in midpregnancy. Women were asked about regular physical activity in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy and afterward for types and levels of physical activity in pregnancy and before pregnancy and socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and maternal health. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with higher levels of physical activity in pregnancy, defined as >30 minutes per session of ≥2 times per week of moderate- or high-intensity brisk walking, strength training, jogging, and bicycling. RESULTS: No regular physical activity during the last 2 weeks before answering the questionnaire at midpregnancy was reported by 689 women (29%). In this study, 1787 women (76%) reported weekly strolling during pregnancy. Regular physical activity at least twice weekly in the first half of pregnancy was reported as brisk walking by 839 women (36%), bicycling by 361 women (15%), strength training by 322 women (14%), and other activities by <10% of women. Among the 1430 women with regular moderate- or high-intensity physical activity, the estimated median duration per week was 120 minutes. Higher physical activity levels were achieved in 553 women (23.5%) by brisk walking, 287 women (12.2%) by strength training, 263 women (11.2%) by bicycling, and 114 women (4.9%) by jogging. Higher physical activity levels were positively associated with regular physical activity before pregnancy, dog ownership, and atopic dermatitis and negatively associated with higher body mass index, study location in Østfold, previous pregnancy or pregnancies, non-Nordic origin, suburban living, and sick leave. CONCLUSION: At midpregnancy, 29% of women were inactive, and less than 50% of women had at least 2 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly. Awareness of physical activity in pregnancy should be discussed at pregnancy follow-up visits, particularly among women with higher body mass index, sick leave, previous pregnancy or pregnancies, and non-Nordic origin.

Published in AJOG Global Reports

ISSN: 2666-5778 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Gynecology and obstetrics
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/ajog-global-reports

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