Exercising for two: linking prenatal exercise with baby heart health

Linda May, PhD, MS, wants babies to have a healthy start in life even before they are born. Her research studies are related to physical activity during pregnancy and how this activity influences development of the child, before and after birth.

Dr. May studies body composition and heart health measures for the baby in utero and after birth into childhood. Ultimately, her goal is to help children have a healthier life by attenuating the risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

As an assistant professor for the ECU School of Dental Medicine’s Department of Foundational Sciences and Research, Dr. May teaches courses in anatomy, exercise physiology, obstetrics and gynecology for dental and medical students.

To Join the Study

Here are some guidelines for joining Dr. May’s study.
To qualify, you must be:
• between 18 and 40 years of age
• 16 weeks pregnant or earlier
• 300 pounds or less
• able to participate in activity 3 times per week (supervised by personal trainer)

The study will track the health of you and your baby during your pregnancy.

Follow the link to Dr. May’s previous research presented in:
the New York Times: Exercising for Two

For more information:
Contact Dr. Linda May at mayl@ecu.edu or leave a message at 252-737-7072.