Strength training may prevent gestational diabetes in pregnant women
Nour Nour El-Din: Pregnant women are advised to maintain an appropriate level of physical activity, if pregnancy allows, due to the benefits of exercise in supporting fitness and overall health. However, a recent study has highlighted a potential benefit of strength training, or muscle-strengthening exercises, during pregnancy. Spanish researchers found that no cases of gestational diabetes were recorded among pregnant women who adhered to a structured strength training program, suggesting that these exercises may play an important role in preventing gestational diabetes and underscoring the need for further research into incorporating them into prenatal care programs.
What is gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes is a rise in blood sugar levels first detected during pregnancy. It occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to overcome the changes in insulin sensitivity that occur during pregnancy. In many cases, gestational diabetes resolves after childbirth, but it requires monitoring and treatment once diagnosed, as it can be associated with health complications for both mother and child, and increases the mother’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
209 Pregnant Women Under Follow-up Researchers from Donostia University Hospital in Spain conducted the study, which included 209 women in their first trimester of pregnancy, with normal blood sugar levels at the start of the study. 107 participants were asked to adhere to a structured strength training program during pregnancy, in addition to routine care, while the remaining participants received only standard care and recommendations. The researchers monitored blood sugar levels, weight, and quality of life among participants until delivery.
Notable Results The most prominent result was related to gestational diabetes: no cases were recorded among women participating in the strength training program, compared to 7.3% in the other group. The strength training group also recorded no cases of high birth weight, compared to 6.3% in the control group. Results also showed that women who performed strength training experienced significant improvements in quality of life, along with a reduction in the number and severity of pregnancy-related symptoms, compared to women who did not participate in the program.
How do muscles affect blood sugar? Muscles are one of the main tissues that use glucose for energy. When strength training is performed, muscles increase their use of glucose, and regular physical activity can help improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This mechanism is particularly important during pregnancy, as natural hormonal changes make the body less sensitive to insulin as pregnancy progresses. When the pancreas cannot compensate by producing enough insulin, blood sugar may rise, leading to gestational diabetes. Therefore, maintaining muscle activity may be one of the factors that help the body cope better with these metabolic changes.
Exercise as Part of a Healthy Pregnancy The study does not offer a magic formula for preventing gestational diabetes, nor does the “zero cases” finding mean that strength training guarantees immunity from the condition. Gestational diabetes is influenced by multiple factors, including age, weight, family history, and genetic and metabolic factors. Nevertheless, these results add encouraging evidence to the growing body of research highlighting the importance of appropriate physical activity during pregnancy. Notably, this potential benefit was not limited to walking or aerobic exercises alone; it was also observed with muscle-strengthening exercises.
