Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Traditionally, one of the primary concerns regarding exercise during pregnancy has been the potential of reducing gestational age and increasing the likelihood of preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review about the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy o...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/15/4915 |
| _version_ | 1797586558340038656 |
|---|---|
| author | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Miguel Sánchez-Polán Cristina Silva-José Javier Gil-Ares Evelia Franco |
| author_facet | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Miguel Sánchez-Polán Cristina Silva-José Javier Gil-Ares Evelia Franco |
| author_sort | Rubén Barakat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Traditionally, one of the primary concerns regarding exercise during pregnancy has been the potential of reducing gestational age and increasing the likelihood of preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review about the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy on gestational age and preterm delivery. A systematic review and two meta-analyses were performed (Registration No. CRD42022370770). Data sources from online databases were searched up to November 2022. The review exclusively included studies involving pregnant populations and interventions consisting of PA implemented during pregnancy. The primary outcomes analysed were gestational age, measured in weeks, and the occurrence of preterm deliveries. A total of 57 studies were analysed through two independent meta-analyses for the first one, no association was found between moderate exercise during pregnancy and gestational age (Z = 0.45, <i>p</i> = 0.65, ES = 0.08, 95% CI = −0.06−0.04, I2 = 42%, P heterogeneity = 0.001), showing the exercise group had a higher gestational age. In addition, no differences were found between groups in terms of number of preterm deliveries (RR = 0.96, (95% CI = 0.77–1.21, Z = 0.33, <i>p</i> = 0.74; ES = 0.07; I2 = 31%, P heterogeneity = 0.05)). The findings of this study indicate that there is no association between exercise during pregnancy and reduced gestational age or increased risk of preterm delivery in healthy pregnancies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:24:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e1cfa36e93704fab88230ef42114ff86 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:24:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-e1cfa36e93704fab88230ef42114ff862023-11-18T23:06:53ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-07-011215491510.3390/jcm12154915Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisRubén Barakat0Dingfeng Zhang1Miguel Sánchez-Polán2Cristina Silva-José3Javier Gil-Ares4Evelia Franco5AFIPE Research Group, Faculty of PA and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of PA and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of PA and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of PA and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, SpainAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of PA 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, SpainTraditionally, one of the primary concerns regarding exercise during pregnancy has been the potential of reducing gestational age and increasing the likelihood of preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review about the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy on gestational age and preterm delivery. A systematic review and two meta-analyses were performed (Registration No. CRD42022370770). Data sources from online databases were searched up to November 2022. The review exclusively included studies involving pregnant populations and interventions consisting of PA implemented during pregnancy. The primary outcomes analysed were gestational age, measured in weeks, and the occurrence of preterm deliveries. A total of 57 studies were analysed through two independent meta-analyses for the first one, no association was found between moderate exercise during pregnancy and gestational age (Z = 0.45, <i>p</i> = 0.65, ES = 0.08, 95% CI = −0.06−0.04, I2 = 42%, P heterogeneity = 0.001), showing the exercise group had a higher gestational age. In addition, no differences were found between groups in terms of number of preterm deliveries (RR = 0.96, (95% CI = 0.77–1.21, Z = 0.33, <i>p</i> = 0.74; ES = 0.07; I2 = 31%, P heterogeneity = 0.05)). The findings of this study indicate that there is no association between exercise during pregnancy and reduced gestational age or increased risk of preterm delivery in healthy pregnancies.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/15/4915pregnancyexercisegestational agepreterm delivery |
| spellingShingle | Rubén Barakat Dingfeng Zhang Miguel Sánchez-Polán Cristina Silva-José Javier Gil-Ares Evelia Franco Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Journal of Clinical Medicine pregnancy exercise gestational age preterm delivery |
| title | Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Is Exercise during Pregnancy a Risk for Gestational Age and Preterm Delivery? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | is exercise during pregnancy a risk for gestational age and preterm delivery systematic review and meta analysis |
| topic | pregnancy exercise gestational age preterm delivery |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/15/4915 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rubenbarakat isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT dingfengzhang isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT miguelsanchezpolan isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT cristinasilvajose isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT javiergilares isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis AT eveliafranco isexerciseduringpregnancyariskforgestationalageandpretermdeliverysystematicreviewandmetaanalysis |