Can exercise or talking help pregnant women manage weight?
Effects of prenatal exercise on gestational weight gain, obstetric and neonatal outcomes: FitMum randomized controlled trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Average moderate-to-vigorous physical activity stayed below 54 minutes per week in ALL groups—even the supervised exercise group.
It’s shocking that women assigned to structured gym and pool sessions still didn’t meet minimum activity guidelines—suggesting the problem isn’t lack of programs, but real-world adherence.
Practical Takeaways
If you're pregnant and want to manage weight, focus on sustainable habits—not structured programs. Small daily walks may be more effective than 3x/week gym sessions.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Average moderate-to-vigorous physical activity stayed below 54 minutes per week in ALL groups—even the supervised exercise group.
It’s shocking that women assigned to structured gym and pool sessions still didn’t meet minimum activity guidelines—suggesting the problem isn’t lack of programs, but real-world adherence.
Practical Takeaways
If you're pregnant and want to manage weight, focus on sustainable habits—not structured programs. Small daily walks may be more effective than 3x/week gym sessions.
Publication
Journal
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Year
2023
Authors
C. Roland, Signe dP. Knudsen, S. Alomairah, A. Jessen, I. Jensen, Nina Brændstrup, S. Molsted, A. K. Jensen, B. Stallknecht, J. Bendix, Tine D. Clausen, E. Løkkegaard
Related Content
Claims (5)
For healthy pregnant women with a normal weight, doing structured exercise or getting motivational counseling doesn't seem to change their chances of getting gestational diabetes, high blood pressure during pregnancy, having a baby too early, or the baby's weight at birth.
Even when pregnant women with a normal weight are given exercise programs or motivation tips, most still don't get enough physical activity during pregnancy — they're still moving less than the recommended amount each week.
Scientists have created a smart math tool that can guess how much weight a pregnant person gains by the time they're due—even if their weight records are incomplete or they gave birth early or late—so doctors can compare results more fairly across different studies.
For healthy pregnant women who aren't very active, doing structured exercise three times a week plus some coaching about staying active doesn't seem to help them gain less weight by the time they give birth, compared to just getting regular prenatal care.
Doing exercise during pregnancy doesn't seem to lower the chances of needing a C-section, forceps, or heavy bleeding after birth, at least for healthy pregnant women with a normal weight.