Health problems such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and preterm birth have become more common in recent decades, according to HealthDay. As a result, researchers are looking for ways to reduce these risks.
A new study published in the scientific journal JAMA examined whether daily activity habits could play a role.
Activity levels among pregnant women
The study included 470 pregnant women from several U.S. states. All participants were in the early stages of pregnancy and wore an activity tracker for one week.
The device recorded how much the women moved and how long they remained sedentary throughout the day.
Also read: Future dementia test may be performed by the eye doctor
Researchers then compared the participants’ activity levels with the occurrence of complications later in pregnancy.
Surprising findings
The study found that women who spent more than 10 hours a day sitting had a significantly higher risk of complications than those who spent around seven hours sitting daily.
Among the women with the most sedentary time, approximately two in five experienced complications. Among women who spent less time sitting, the figure was about one in five.
The researchers therefore suggest that the solution is not necessarily intense exercise. Instead, simply standing up more often and incorporating short periods of movement throughout the day may be beneficial.
Also read: 17,000 people reveal their toilet habits – many suffer in silence
According to the researchers, reducing time spent sitting could help lower the risk of complications during pregnancy.
Also read: Which protein source is best for muscle health? Study compares animal and plant proteins