PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of a program of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on maternal and fetal parameters. DESIGN: The study design was a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place at the Hospital of Fuenlabrada in Madrid, Spain. SAMPLE: Analyzed were 200 pregnant women (31.54 +/- 3.86 years), all of whom had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these subjects, 107 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 93 to the control group (CG). INTERVENTION: Women from EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included a total of 55- to 60-minute weekly sessions, 3 days per week. MEASURES: Pregnancy outcomes. Maternal: gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, blood pressure during pregnancy, gestational diabetes (n/%). Fetal: birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord. ANALYSIS: Student's unpaired t-test and Chi2 test were used; p values of < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size. RESULTS: There were significantly more pregnant women in the CG who gained excessive weight during their pregnancies than in the EG group (CG n = 31, 35.6% versus n = 22, 21.2%; Chi2 = 4.95; p = 0.02). The effect size was small (Phi value = 0.16). Other pregnancy outcome showed no differences between groups. CONCLUSION: A regular and moderate physical exercise program throughout pregnancy is not a risk to maternal and fetal well-being, and it helps to control excessive weight gain.

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