Moderate impact of full-term pregnancy on estimated peak oxygen uptake, physical activity and perceived health

Objective. To study the impact of pregnancy on estimated peak oxygen uptake ((V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.)), physical activity and perceived health. Design. Prospective cohort study. Setting. Maternal health centers. Population. A cohort of pregnant women. Methods. Cycle ergometer test and questionnaires in early pregnancy and 5 months postpartum. Main outcome measures. (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.), physical activity and perceived health. Results. Regular physical activity was reported by a successively lower proportion of women as pregnancy advanced but the proportion was regained postpartum. Despite this the difference between average absolute (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.) in early pregnancy and postpartum of 2.44 and 2.42 l/minute, respectively, was not significant. The adjusted absolute (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.) in early pregnancy successively increased with age to a maximum at 35 years, after which it decreased and among women of the same age the time between 8 and 12 weeks lowered the (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.) by 0.130 l/minute. With the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in early pregnancy the women scored their mean mental health to 72.0 and mean physical health to 79.7. At the postpartum appointment these scores were higher (p < 0.0001). Absolute and relative (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.) in early pregnancy were positively correlated to the variation of SF-36' s mean physical health in early pregnancy (p < 0.0001) and postpartum (p < 0.0001). Conclusions. Pregnancy had a moderate influence on physical fitness and perceived health half a year postpartum despite less regular physical activity during pregnancy. (V) over dotO(2) (peak, est.) in early pregnancy was positively correlated to perceived physical health.