Physical Activity Before and During Pregnancy and Neurodevelopment in Early Childhood

How is maternal physical activity before and during pregnancy associated with neurodevelopment in children?In this cohort study involving 38 219 mother-child pairs, maternal physical activity before and during pregnancy was associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes in late infancy. Moreover, higher levels of maternal exercise were associated with more favorable neurodevelopmental outcomes.These findings suggest that maternal physical activity before and during pregnancy may be associated with optimized early neurodevelopment in offspring, particularly regarding motor function, highlighting the potential benefits of prenatal exercise beyond maternal health.

Corresponding Author: Chiharu Ota, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Tohoku University Hospital, 2-1 Seiryoumachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan (chiharu.ota.e8@tohoku.ac.jp).

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