Exercise during Pregnancy Increases Child’s Brain Development

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Exercise during Pregnancy Increases Child’s Brain Development

– Reported Nov 19, 2013

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – Newborns whose mothers performed moderate exercise during their pregnancy have more enhanced brain development than the children of mothers who did not.

Researchers at the University of Montreal developed a test in which participating women were randomly assigned to either and exercise group or sedentary group. The exercise group performed 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week, starting at their second trimester. After birth, electrical activity in the brains of the newborns was tested between the ages of 8 and 12 days. Researchers found the children of mothers in the exercise group had increased brain activity over the children of women in the sedentary group.

“We hope these results will guide public health interventions and research on brain plasticity,” study lead Professor Dave Ellemberg, Ph.D., was quoted as saying. “Most of all, we are optimistic that this will encourage women to change their health habits, given that the simple act of exercising during pregnancy could make a difference for their child’s future.”

SOURCE: Neuroscience 2013 Congress, November 2013