Effect of Aerobic Training in Morning and Evening on Maternal Body Composition Two Months Postpartum

  Exercise can guarantee maternal health during pregnancy and after that by preventing excessive weight gain during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the effect of 12 weeks aerobic training in the morning and evening routines on the body composition of pregnant women up to two months postpartum. This quasi-experimental study was performed on 90 pregnant women with the gestational age of 25-24 weeks in Mashhad in 1396. The participants were divided into three groups, including morning aerobic exercise (n=29), evening aerobic training (n=26), and control group (n=27).The training program consisted of 12 weeks of three sessions with a duration of 35-35 min (each session) and included a continuous walk. Exercise intensity was 60% of the maximum heart rate reserve (HRR) in primary sessions, which dropped to 45% HRR in the final sessions. The parameters of body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) were measured at the beginning and end of the study. The data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20), Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, T-test, and Analysis of variance (P≤0.05). Twelve weeks of aerobic training had an effect on the body fat percentage of the participants (P=0.020), but there was no significant difference between the morning and evening exercises (P=0.422).The selected aerobic exercise had an effect on the BMI index of the participants (P=0.022), but there was no significant difference between the morning and evening exercises (P = 0.293). The aerobic exercise protocol prevents hyperlipidemia in pregnant women and causes pregnant women to gain weight better during pregnancy.