Moderate exercise during pregnancy could boost a baby’s brain development, according to new research.

The study, which involved 18 mothers-to-be found that 10 days after being born, the children showed signs of having a more mature brain when their mothers exercised during the pregnancy.

For the study, researchers randomly assigned 10 women to an exercise group and eight to an inactive group at the start of their second trimester. The active group engaged in at least 20 minutes of cardio vascular activity three times a week at moderate intensity – meaning at least a slight shortness of breath – with the pregnant women typically walking, jogging, swimming or cycling.

On average, the workout group clocked 117 minutes of exercise on a weekly basis, while the sedentary group clocked 12 minutes a week. Using an EEG to record the brain’s activity, the researchers measured the newborn children’s brain activity while sleeping at eight to 12 days old, focusing on the ability of the child’s brain to recognise a new sound.

The babies whose mother exercised had brains which were “more efficient” and could “recognise sounds with less effort”.

The research team has hypothesised that exercise speeds up a process known as synaptic pruning, whereby extra nerve cells and connections are eliminated, helping brain development.

America’s Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that women with uncomplicated pregnancies who are recreational and competitive athletes can remain active during pregnancy, modifying their routine when medically necessary. If a women was inactive before pregnancy or have pregnancy related complications are advised to seek the opinion of their doctor.