Published: Less than 20 min ago
Women who run the Vasaloppet and also do it in a fast time have a lower risk of certain diseases and complications in connection with pregnancy and childbirth. This is shown by a new study from Uppsala University.
Health data from 15,377 women who at some point before pregnancy rode a Vasalopp were compared with 194,384 women who never rode the race. The researchers also investigated whether the women’s riding performance was linked to the risk of complications.
The study, which is published in the British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, shows that the faster a runner got through the race, the lower the risks of suffering from gestational diabetes, severe weight gain, psychiatric morbidity and cesarean delivery.
However, the researchers found no correlation between the mother’s exercise and high performance and risks of complications in the children.
Previous studies have also shown that people who ride the Vasaloppet have a higher level of fitness than the general population, but it is not the ski race itself but an active lifestyle that can play a role in the connections that the researchers see.
“It is well known that exercise is good for health from many perspectives, but when it comes to how it affects pregnancy and childbirth, more knowledge is needed,” says Cathrine Axfors, researcher in epidemiology and metascience at Uppsala University, in a press release.