Fitness levels in pregnancy

Cardiorespiratory fitness levels of pregnant women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)

My name is Aalia and I am currently completing my Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of Auckland. I am conducting research this year looking at cardiorespiratory fitness levels of women at risk of developing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) and women not at risk.

We would like to find out whether there are significant differences in cardiorespiratory fitness levels between women in their second trimester, and if so, whether low fitness levels should be included in the list of modifiable risk factors for GDM. This could mean that future exercise interventions to significantly increase current fitness levels could be designed for those women at risk of GDM. The proposed study will seek to provide cardiorespiratory fitness data to quantify baseline fitness levels of women in their second trimester. The study will allow us to design an exercise intervention specifically for the level of fitness we reveal for women in their second trimester. The study’s findings may then lead to the development of clinical exercise guidelines to reduce the risk of, or prevent the onset of GDM.

I therefore need to recruit women to come in for a single session where I will collect a bit of medical info from them and they will complete a sub-maximal exercise test (exercise intensity which is not distressing). This information will allow me to predict what their maximal cardiorespiratory fitness levels are.

Women will be compensated for their participation (you will be invited to attend 2 free exercise sessions per week for a month (post partum) which I will be running to say thank you.

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