The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Miscarriage is an inability to complete the normal process of pregnancy and childbirth and represents a major concern for pregnant women that can be an emotionally devastating event. While it has been suggested that engaging in strenuous physical activity might be associated with an elevated risk of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/16/5393 |
| _version_ | 1797435957014691840 |
|---|---|
| author | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Cristina Silva-José Miguel Sánchez-Polán Evelia Franco Michelle F. Mottola |
| author_facet | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Cristina Silva-José Miguel Sánchez-Polán Evelia Franco Michelle F. Mottola |
| author_sort | Rubén Barakat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Miscarriage is an inability to complete the normal process of pregnancy and childbirth and represents a major concern for pregnant women that can be an emotionally devastating event. While it has been suggested that engaging in strenuous physical activity might be associated with an elevated risk of miscarriage, there is a recent systematic review that suggested that prenatal exercise is not associated with fetal mortality. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis (SR + MA) was to assess the effects of physical activity during pregnancy on the likelihood of experiencing a miscarriage (Registration No.: CRD42022370629). Thirteen randomized clinical trials (3728 pregnant women) were included. Meta-analyses were conducted with the dependent variable being the miscarriage ratio in each study. The total risk ratio (RR) sum was calculated using a random effects model. The I<sup>2</sup> statistic was utilized to quantify the heterogeneity observed in the results. No significant association between exercise during pregnancy and the occurrence of miscarriage was found (RR = 0.83 95% CI = 0.83 (0.49–1.41); z = 0.69, <i>p</i> = 0.49; I<sup>2</sup> = 0.00%, Heterogeneity <i>p</i> = 0.91). Results of the present SR + MA showed no increase in miscarriage risk in those who engaged in low- to moderate-intensity exercise compared to those who did not. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:55:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-da43e957bdd142e8a54254c96ccaab0b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:55:44Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-da43e957bdd142e8a54254c96ccaab0b2023-12-01T01:44:12ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-08-011216539310.3390/jcm12165393The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisRubén Barakat0Dingfeng Zhang1Cristina Silva-José2Miguel Sánchez-Polán3Evelia Franco4Michelle F. Mottola5AFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Education, Research and Evaluation Methods, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, 28049 Madrid, SpainR. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation-Exercise and Pregnancy Lab, 2245, 3-M Centre, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Children’s Health Research Institute, The University of Wester Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, CanadaMiscarriage is an inability to complete the normal process of pregnancy and childbirth and represents a major concern for pregnant women that can be an emotionally devastating event. While it has been suggested that engaging in strenuous physical activity might be associated with an elevated risk of miscarriage, there is a recent systematic review that suggested that prenatal exercise is not associated with fetal mortality. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis (SR + MA) was to assess the effects of physical activity during pregnancy on the likelihood of experiencing a miscarriage (Registration No.: CRD42022370629). Thirteen randomized clinical trials (3728 pregnant women) were included. Meta-analyses were conducted with the dependent variable being the miscarriage ratio in each study. The total risk ratio (RR) sum was calculated using a random effects model. The I<sup>2</sup> statistic was utilized to quantify the heterogeneity observed in the results. No significant association between exercise during pregnancy and the occurrence of miscarriage was found (RR = 0.83 95% CI = 0.83 (0.49–1.41); z = 0.69, <i>p</i> = 0.49; I<sup>2</sup> = 0.00%, Heterogeneity <i>p</i> = 0.91). Results of the present SR + MA showed no increase in miscarriage risk in those who engaged in low- to moderate-intensity exercise compared to those who did not.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/16/5393pregnancyphysical activitymiscarriageexercise |
| spellingShingle | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Cristina Silva-José Miguel Sánchez-Polán Evelia Franco Michelle F. Mottola The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Journal of Clinical Medicine pregnancy physical activity miscarriage exercise |
| title | The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Miscarriage—Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | influence of physical activity during pregnancy on miscarriage systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | pregnancy physical activity miscarriage exercise |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/16/5393 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rubenbarakat theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT dingfengzhang theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT cristinasilvajose theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT miguelsanchezpolan theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT eveliafranco theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT michellefmottola theinfluenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT rubenbarakat influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT dingfengzhang influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT cristinasilvajose influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT miguelsanchezpolan influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT eveliafranco influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT michellefmottola influenceofphysicalactivityduringpregnancyonmiscarriagesystematicreviewandmetaanalysis |