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Diabetic Rats Exercised Prior to and During Pregnancy: Maternal Reproductive Outcome, Biochemical Profile, and Frequency of Fetal Anomalies

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise prior to or during pregnancy on maternal reproductive outcome, biochemical profile, and on fetal anomaly frequency in a rat pregnancy model utilizing chemically induced diabetes. Wistar rats (minimum n = 11 animals/group) were randomly assigned the following groups: group 1 (G1), sedentary, nondiabetic; G2, nondiabetic, exercised during pregnancy; G3, nondiabetic, exercised prior to and during pregnancy; G4, sedentary, diabetic; G5, diabetic, exercised during pregnancy; and G6, diabetic, exercised prior to and during pregnancy. A swimming program was utilized for moderate exercise. On day 21 of pregnancy, all rats were anesthetized to obtain blood for biochemical measurements. The gravid uterus was weighed with its contents, and the fetuses were analyzed. The nondiabetic rats exercised prior to pregnancy presented a reduced maternal weight gain. Besides, G2 and G3 groups showed decreased fetal weights at term pregnancy, indicating slight intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). In the diabetic dams, the swimming program did not have anti-hyperglycemic effects. The exercise applied only during pregnancy caused severe IUGR, as confirmed by reduced fetal weight mean, fetal weight classification, and ossification sites. Nevertheless, exercise was not a teratogenic factor and improved the rats’ lipid profiles, demonstrating that the exercise presented possible benefits, but there are also risks prior and during pregnancy, especially in diabetic pregnant women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Experimental Research on Gynecology and Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, Univ. Estadual Paulista Unesp, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil

    Débora Cristina Damasceno PhD, Hellen Pontes Silva MS, Geizi Fátima Vaz MS, Francine Aparecida Vasques-Silva MS, Iracema Mattos Paranhos Calderon PhD, Marilza Vieira Cunha Rudge PhD, Kleber Eduardo Campos PhD & Gustavo Tadeu Volpato PhD

  2. Laboratory of General Physiology and Reproductive Toxicology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, University Center of Araguaia, Mato Grosso Federal University (UFMT), Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil

    Kleber Eduardo Campos PhD & Gustavo Tadeu Volpato PhD

  3. Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu – Unesp, Distrito de Rubião Júnior, 18618-000, Botucatu, SP, Brazil

    Gustavo Tadeu Volpato PhD

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  1. Débora Cristina Damasceno PhD
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  2. Hellen Pontes Silva MS
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  3. Geizi Fátima Vaz MS
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  8. Gustavo Tadeu Volpato PhD
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Correspondence to Gustavo Tadeu Volpato PhD.

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Damasceno, D.C., Silva, H.P., Vaz, G.F. et al. Diabetic Rats Exercised Prior to and During Pregnancy: Maternal Reproductive Outcome, Biochemical Profile, and Frequency of Fetal Anomalies. Reprod. Sci. 20, 730–738 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1177/1933719112461186

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