Running during pregnancy and child's Quality X

[Sasha Pachev]

http://2008olympics.runnersworld.com/2008/08/beijing-note-10.html

"We were living in Boulder when Shalane was born, and I ran all the way through my pregnancy with her," says Treworgy. "The Africans have got nothing on Shalane."

[Jon Allen]

Does running in pregnancy make a difference?  Who knows.  But don't forget what the paragraph before that says:
Her mother, Cheryl Treworgy, was the first woman to break 2:50 in the marathon. The first. Ever. Her father, Steve Flanagan, was a 1:50.8 half-miler, a 4:07 miler, a three-time member of the U.S. World Cross Country team, and a 2:18 marathoner.

If I were a betting man, and could choose between a kid with semi-athletic parents where the mom ran all during pregnancy, or a kid with the first ever female 2:50 marathoner mom and a 4:07 miler and 2:18 marathoner dad, I would bet on the second kid every time.  Period.  Sheer genetics- far more proven than theorizing if running during pregnancy matters.

Interesting discussion, though.  I wonder if Michael Phelps' mom swam during pregnancy...

[Kim Lee]

My thoughts...I don't see how being inside someone's womb while they are running can help you be a great runner.  I can see that genetics would play a big role, but I think the example the child grew up with would be a major factor! 

[Superfly]

I'm with Jon on that one.

[Jon Allen]

We discussed this before, and I don't think it matters.  The only thing I could possibly think of is that the baby would get more endorphins from an exercising mom so would therefore desire that feeling again after birth.  Who knows. 

[Sasha Pachev]

Womb conditions are critical for child development. It has been proven that smoking and drinking during pregnancy puts the child at a handicap. It would be logical to suppose that the reverse of smoking and drinking (e.g. aerobic exercise) would have a reverse affect on the child as well. Adam Wende told us about a study they had done on rats that basically shows that if the mother rat eats McDonalds type of diet during pregnancy, while it does not change the genes, it changes gene expression. The diabetes gene is much more expressed in the baby rat, it gains weight easily, and has a hard time losing it. Adam can provide more details on this.

Just using a bit of common sense - the mother is connected to the child with a cord, and feeds him directly from her body. This is as direct as you get. She literally imparts herself into the child. Whatever is in the mother will be in the child. The child is like a growing plant, while the mother is like the soil. What happens when you have poor soil conditions? You have weak plants with not very palatable fruit. What if the soil is good? The same seed, with the exact same genetic code produces a much stronger plant with juicy delicious fruit. Any reason to expect it to be different with the mother and the child?

[Paul Petersen]

You are comparing food and nutrition to training. Not valid.

[Jon Allen]

I agree with Paul.  It is true smoking, poor diet, etc can inhibit child development.  But as long as the food and nutrition are healthy, the baby would get the same "soil" whether the mother exercises or not.  The mother cannot pass on fit, healthy muscles to the baby.  Only blood and nutrition, via the cord.  I imagine the baby's physical development can only be weakened in the womb, not strengthened above the inherent genetic attributes.

[Sasha Pachev]

So suppose mother's blood has a higher red cell count as a result of training. Is it reasonable that this will somehow positively affect the baby?

Also, as the mother's heart is pumping harder and is pushing more blood through the body, it would be reasonable to suppose that the baby will somehow be affected.

[Jon Allen]

We'll leave the burden of proof with you, Sasha.  I'm getting a head ache trying to think about this.

[Carolyn Herlin]

I'll contribute some anecdotal evidence of questionable value.

I have given birth to four children. I was running about 10 miles/week when I got pregnant with the third. I continued to run for a little while and then quit because it was giving me cramps. However, I continued to walk for fitness throughout the pregnancy (even slipped on the ice out walking the day before he was born) and did water aerobics during the second trimester. I did not do any significant exercising during any of the other three pregnancies.

It's been a few years now and the kids aren't grown, but they're all school-aged. I think that third child is the smartest of my children and quite possibly the most physically talented as well. In fact, my oldest child considers the third child to be a new and improved version of himself (the first child).

Draw what conclusions you will.