EFFECTS OF A PARTIALLY HOME-BASED EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of a partially home-based, mod erate-intensity aerobic exercise program for women with gestational di abetes. Methods: This was a randomized experimental design. Thirty-thr ee women with gestational diabetes were randomly assigned to the exerc ise or the no-exercise group. Subjects underwent hemoglobin A(1)C assa y and submaximal cycle ergometer fitness tests at baseline and at stud y conclusion. Subjects kept diaries of home fasting and 2-hour postpra ndial blood glucose determinations. Exercise subjects were asked to ex ercise for 30 minutes three to four times weekly at 70% of estimated m aximal heart rate for the weeks of study participation. Two exercise s essions weekly were supervised by the investigator, and two were unsup ervised at home. Control-group subjects were asked to maintain their c urrent activity level. Results: Daily fasting and postprandial blood g lucose levels, hemoglobin A(1)C, incidence of exogenous insulin therap y, and incidence of newborn hypoglycemia were not different between th e groups. There was a training effect in the exercise group (P = .005) but not in the control group (P = .25). A significant decline in dail y grams of carbohydrate consumed was observed in the control group (P = .03), but not in the exercise group (P = .97). No complications were found in the subjects who exercised. Conclusions: A partially home-ba sed exercise program did not reduce blood glucose levels, but did resu lt in a modest increase in cardiorespiratory fitness. The intervention appeared safe. (Copyright (C) 1997 by The American College of Obstetr icians and Gynecologists.)