Travel and physical activity during pregnancy

Staying active during pregnancy is important for both the mother and baby. Previous research suggest that for mothers, it can help lower the chances of developing gestational diabetes and gaining too much weight, while for babies, it can reduce the risk of early birth and being born too large. Walking and biking are important ways to stay active in pregnancy. Other studies show that spending time in cars, for example during long commutes, can lead to stress for pregnant women. This means that the design of cities might affect pregnancy outcomes, since some areas are better for walking and biking while others require driving. However, more research is needed to better understand this link.

A new study from Barcelona and San Sebastián shows that visiting parks and nature areas can help pregnant women meet recommended activity levels, especially in early pregnancy (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2024.103297). The study also found that women in San Sebastián were more likely to visit these green spaces than women in Barcelona. But we still don’t know for sure whether living near a park or green area actually leads to more physical activity there, or if some women just prefer visiting green spaces, even if they are far from home, and get their exercise by traveling to and from those places. This is a question that remains unanswered.

We are conducting our own study with the BiSC participants in Barcelona to explore how neighborhoods are connected to travel during pregnancy. We’re mapping not just green spaces but also walkability, street design, building density, socioeconomic factors, and other things. Our goal is to find out what aspects of city planning are most important for supporting healthy pregnancies. With this research, we hope to guide future city designs that make it easier for pregnant women to stay active and have healthier outcomes for both themselves and their babies.

 

This post was written by Karl Samuelsson, a postdoctoral researcher at the BiSC Project.