Sedentary Lifestyle During Pregnancy may Harm the Unborn Baby

Women, who sit down too much while pregnant, risk harming their baby, revealed a new study conducted by the University of Warwick. Researchers have identified a link between depression in pregnancy and long periods of sitting down. The team observed that those suffering from symptoms of depression during pregnancy are more likely to sit down for long periods of time in the second trimester. The study also found that this puts women at risk of greater weight gain and contracting gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of birth complications for the mother and baby and so it is important we minimize this risk by reducing the time that pregnant women spend sitting down.

Nithya Sukumar, who led the study of more than 1,200 women, said, "Pregnant women could benefit from early intervention to improve their physical and mental health and reduce the risks associated with sedentary behavior. The research highlights the need to address women's physical and mental well-being from the early stages of pregnancy to help reduce the health risks associated with sedentary behavior."

Fellow researcher, Ponnusamy Saravanan, said, "We believe reducing the sitting time has the potential to reduce pregnant women's risk of gestational diabetes and reduce the metabolic risk factors of their newborns."

The findings were presented at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Edinburgh.

Source-ANI