An interventional study of Postpartum Exercise Program in Postpartum Exercise, Cardiometabolic Health and High Risk for Preeclampsia, sponsored by Chinese University of Hong Kong. Recruiting at 1 site in Hong Kong. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by Chinese University of Hong Kong · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
Women who develop hypertensive disorders of pregnancy have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Whether exercise during the postpartum period improves cardiometabolic health in this population remains unclear.
This pilot randomized controlled trial will recruit 40 women who were identified as being at high risk for preeclampsia during pregnancy and subsequently developed a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Participants will be enrolled 6 to 8 weeks after delivery and randomly assigned to a 12-week exercise program or standard postnatal care. The exercise program will consist of three sessions per week combining moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, resistance training, and pelvic floor exercises.
Cardiovascular function, blood pressure, blood markers of cardiometabolic health, physical fitness, and body composition will be assessed before and after the 12-week period. Changes in mood, sleep quality, and health-related quality of life will also be evaluated. The study will provide preliminary evidence on the effects of postpartum exercise in this population and inform the design of a larger trial.
916 studies on the registry are indexed under Pre-Eclampsia; 243 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 40 is below the median of 110 across 480 interventional studies indexed under Pre-Eclampsia.
Browse Pre-Eclampsia studies →Chinese University of Hong Kong is the lead sponsor of 1,454 studies on the registry; 474 are open to participants now.
Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 0 (0%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants will complete a 12-week exercise program consisting of three supervised sessions per week. Each session will combine moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, resistance training, and pelvic floor exercises. Exercise intensity will be adjusted to individual fitness levels and monitored using heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion.
Behavioral: Postpartum Exercise Program
Participants will receive standard postnatal care, including routine health check-ups and general advice on postnatal health. They will not receive a structured exercise program as part of the study.
Participants assigned to the exercise group will undertake a 12-week program comprising three supervised 60-minute sessions per week. Each session includes a 5-minute warm-up, 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on a treadmill or stationary bicycle, 20 minutes of resistance training, 10 minutes of pelvic floor exercises, and a 5-minute cool-down. Exercise intensity will be individualized and progressively adjusted according to heart rate and rating of perceived exertion.
Change in Systolic Blood Pressure
Systolic blood pressure will be measured in mmHg. Change from baseline to the end of the 12-week intervention will be assessed.
Time frame: Before and after the 12-week exercise intervention
Change in Diastolic Blood Pressure
Diastolic blood pressure will be measured in mmHg using a validated automated device. Change from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Triglyceride Levels
Serum triglyceride levels will be determined using standard laboratory techniques. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Total Cholesterol Levels
Serum total cholesterol levels will be determined using standard laboratory techniques. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels
Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels will be determined using standard laboratory techniques. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Levels
Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels will be determined using standard laboratory techniques. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Apolipoprotein A-I Levels
Apolipoprotein A-I levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Apolipoprotein A-II Levels
Apolipoprotein A-II levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Apolipoprotein B Levels
Apolipoprotein B levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Fasting Glucose Levels
Fasting glucose levels will be determined using standard laboratory tests. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c)
HbA1c will be determined using standard laboratory tests. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Fasting Insulin Levels
Fasting insulin levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in C-Peptide Levels
C-peptide levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Adiponectin Levels
Adiponectin levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Leptin Levels
Leptin levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels
High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Levels
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Interleukin-6 Levels
Interleukin-6 Levels Interleukin-6 levels will be measured using ELISA. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Fibrinogen Levels
Blood fibrinogen levels will be measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Endothelin-1 Levels
Endothelin-1 Levels Endothelin-1 levels will be measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Angiotensin II Levels
Angiotensin II levels will be measured using a commercial ELISA kit. Changes in levels will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Score
Postpartum depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Change in score from before to after the 12-week intervention will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in 36-Item Short Form Health Survey Scores
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Changes in questionnaire scores from before to after the 12-week intervention will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Score
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Score Sleep quality will be assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Change in score from before to after the 12-week intervention will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form Score
Breastfeeding self-efficacy will be assessed using the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF). Change in score from before to after the 12-week intervention will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Six-Minute Walk Test Performance
Physical performance will be assessed using the Six-Minute Walk Test. Change from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Chair Stand Test Performance
Lower-body physical performance will be assessed using a Chair Stand test. Change from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Body Mass Index
Body mass index (BMI) will be measured. Change from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Fat Mass Percentage
Body fat percentage will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Changes from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be evaluated.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Lean Mass Percentage
Lean mass percentage will be assessed at baseline and after the intervention. The change from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be evaluated.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Vital Capacity
Change in vital capacity from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Change in Plank Test Performance
Change in plank test performance from baseline to the post-intervention assessment will be assessed.
Time frame: Baseline and 12 weeks
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Sep 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Sep 2027, 12 months after the start.
Of 171 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Pre-Eclampsia, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 43. This study's planned 12 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 176 studies reached it within 24 months; a quarter within 9 and three quarters within 43.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Chinese University of Hong Kong →