ORIGINAL PAPER
Effect of antenatal exercise on mode of delivery in gestational diabetic females: a single-blind randomized controlled trial
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1
Physical Therapy Department for Woman and Child Health, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt
 
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Department of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
 
3
Department of Physical Therapy for Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
 
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Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut Arab University, Beirut, Lebanon
 
 
Submission date: 2019-01-31
 
 
Acceptance date: 2019-02-25
 
 
Publication date: 2019-06-06
 
 
Physiother Quart. 2019;27(2):1-5
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is common in pregnancy. Maternal consequences might include an increased rate of caesarean delivery. This study was conducted to determine the effect of an exercise program on the mode of delivery in gestational diabetic females.

Methods:
A prospective, randomized, single-blind, pre-post-test, controlled trial was performed. Overall, 60 pregnant females with GDM were included, at their 20–24 weeks of gestation, aged 25–35 years, with body mass index not exceeding 40 kg/m2. The participants were randomly assigned into 2 equal groups: group A, undergoing an exercise program with a moderately restricted diet and insulin therapy, and group B (control group), receiving solely the same diet protocol with insulin therapy.

Results:
The chi-square test revealed significant differences between the groups in the mode of delivery (p < 0.05), with a significant decrease in caesarean deliveries in group A. Group A showed a statistically significant difference in neonates’ Apgar scores at the 1st and 5th minute of life (p < 0.05) compared with the participants in group B.

Conclusions:
It can be concluded that antenatal exercises can be considered effective in decreasing labour complications and shifting the mode of delivery towards normal, complication-free delivery in females with GDM and their offspring.

ISSN:2544-4395
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