Association of Self-Reported Physical Fitness with Pregnancy Related Symptoms the GESTAFIT Project

The present study was partially funded by the Regional Ministry of Health of the Junta de Andalucía (PI-0395-2016) and the Research and Knowledge Transfer Fund (PPIT) 2016, Excellence Actions Programme: Scientific Units of Excellence (UCEES), and the Regional Ministry of Economy, Knowledge, Enterprises and University, European Regional Development Funds (ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR). MFA was additionally funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (Grant number FPU17/03715). This study is included in the thesis of NMJ enrolled in the Doctoral Programme in Biomedicine of the University of Granada. ; We are grateful for the plenty co-operation and participation of all the pregnant women recruited in the GESTAFIT project. ; We explored the association of physical fitness (PF) with pregnancy-related symptoms, at the 16th and 34th gestational weeks (g.w.). The International Fitness Scale and the Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory were employed to assess self-reported PF and pregnancy-related symptoms, respectively. At the 16th g.w. greater self-reported overall PF was associated with lower incidence of urinary frequency (p = 0.020); greater overall PF, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength and speed-agility were associated with lower incidence of tiredness-fatigue (all, p < 0.05); greater overall PF and speed-agility were associated with lower incidence of poor sleep (both, p < 0.05); greater CRF and flexibility were associated with lower limitations by tiredness-fatigue (both, p < 0.05); and greater flexibility was associated with lower limitations by poor sleep (p = 0.021). At the 34th g.w. greater self-reported overall PF, CRF and muscular strength were associated with lower incidence of tiredness-fatigue (all, p < 0.05); greater CRF was associated with lower incidence of poor sleep (p = 0.019); and, greater flexibility was associated with lower incidence of increased vaginal discharge (p = 0.023). Adequate levels of PF, especially CRF, may help women to cope with the most endorsed ...