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Background: Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with several adverse events and pathologies during pregnancy., Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an exercise program throughout pregnancy on maternal weight gain and prevalence of gestational diabetes., Method: A randomized controlled trial was designed that included an exercise intervention group (EG) and standard care control group (CG). The exercise intervention included moderate aerobic exercise performed three days per week (50-55minutes per session) for 8-10 weeks to 38-39 weeks gestation., Results: 594 pregnant women were assessed for eligibility and 456 were included (EG n=234; CG n=222). The results showed a higher percentage of pregnant women gained excessive weight in the CG than in the EG (30.2% vs 20.5% respectively; odds ratio, 0.597; 95% confidence interval, 0.389-0.916; p=0.018). Similarly, the prevalence of gestational diabetes was significantly higher in the CG than the EG (6.8% vs 2.6% respectively; odds ratio, 0.363; 95% confidence interval, 0.138-0.953; p=0.033)., Conclusion: The results of this trial indicate that exercise throughout pregnancy can reduce the risk of excessive maternal weight gain and gestational diabetes., (Copyright © 2018 Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Fisioterapia. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Objective: to examine the influence of an exercise program throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor in healthy pregnant women., Study Design: A randomized clinical trial was used (Identifier: NCT02109588). In all, 508 healthy pregnant women were randomly assigned between 9 and 11 weeks of gestation to either a Control Group (CG, N = 253) or an Exercise Group (EG, N = 255). A moderate aerobic exercise program throughout pregnancy (three weekly sessions) was used as the intervention. Mann-Whitney and Pearson χ 2 tests were performed to analyze differences between groups. Survival techniques through the Kaplan-Meier method were used to estimate the median time to delivery of each group; and Gehan-Breslow-Wilcoxon tests were performed to compare survival distribution between the two arms. The primary outcome studied was the length of the stages of labor. Secondary outcomes included mode of delivery, gestational age, maternal weight gain, preterm delivery, use of epidural, birthweight, Apgar scores and arterial cord pH., Results: Women randomized to the EG had shorter first stage of labor (409 vs 462 min, p = 0.01), total duration of labor (450 vs 507 min, p = 0.01) as well as combined duration of first and second stages of labor (442 vs 499 min, p = 0.01). The probabilities of a woman being delivered at 250 min and 500 min (median times) were 19.1% and 62.5% in the experimental group vs 13.7% and 50.8% in the control group (Z = -2.37, p = 0.018). Results also revealed that women in the intervention group were less likely to use an epidural; and that the prevalence of neonate macrosomia was higher in the control group., Conclusion: A supervised physical exercise program throughout pregnancy decreased the duration of the first phase of labor as well as total time of the first two phases together, leading to a decrease in total labor time., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of moderate physical exercise throughout pregnancy on the duration of labor stages., Design: Study was a randomized controlled trial., Setting: The study took place at Hospital Puerta de Hierro and Hospital Severo Ochoa in Madrid, Spain., Subjects: We examined 166 pregnant women (31.6 ± 3.8 years), and all had uncomplicated and singleton gestation. Of these 83 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 83 to the control group (CG)., Intervention: Women from the EG participated in a physical conditioning program throughout pregnancy, which included 55- to 60-minute sessions, 3 days per week., Measures: Pregnancy outcomes were measured: duration of labor stages, gestational age, weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight, birth size, head circumference, Apgar score, pH of umbilical cord., Analysis: Student's unpaired t-tests and χ(2) tests were used; p values of < .05 indicated statistical significance. Cohen's d was used to determine the effect size., Results: Significant differences were found in the duration of the first stage of labor (EG = 389.6 ± 347.64 minutes vs. CG = 515.72 ± 353.36 minutes; p = .02, effect size Cohen's d = .36). The second and third stages did not differ between the study groups., Conclusion: A physical exercise program during pregnancy is associated with a shorter first stage of labor. These results may have important relevance to public health.

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 I2 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, p = 0.49; I2 = 0.00%, Heterogeneity p = 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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, p = 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, p = 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prenatal depression is associated with an increased risk of physical, physiological, cardiovascular, and psychological diseases for mothers and future newborns. Prenatal depression and depressive symptoms could have negative effects on the cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral development of children. Objective: This study aimed to examine the influence of exercise during pregnancy on the prevalence of prenatal depression and depressive symptoms in the scientific literature. Data Sources: A search was carried out examining different online databases up to November 2020. Methods of Study Selection: A systematic review with random effects meta-analysis was performed. Only randomized controlled trials published in English or Spanish with pregnant populations and interventions with exercise programs carried out during pregnancy were included. The scores obtained by the tools that measured the emotional state and depressive symptoms as well as the number and percentage of depressed women of the study groups were analyzed. Tabulation, Integration, and Results: We analyzed 15 studies and found a negative association between moderate exercise during pregnancy and prenatal depression (ES = −0.36, 95% CI = −0.58, −13, I 2 = 80.2%, Pheterogeneity = 0.001). In addition, the studies also showed that women who were inactive during pregnancy had a 16% higher probability of suffering prenatal depression [RR = 0.84 (95% IC = 0.74, 0.96) I 2 = 61.9%, Pheterogeneity = 0.010]. Conclusion: Supervised exercise during pregnancy may be useful for the prevention and reduction of prenatal depression and depressive symptoms. Systematic Review Registration: Registered in PROSPERO (Registration No. CRD42020164819). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the flow theory framework, the aims of this study were a) to analyze differences in flow dimensions and future physical activity (FPA) practice intentions according to the level of current PA and b) to analyze the predictive role of flow dimensions for FPA practice intentions. The sample was composed by 1076 physical education students and segmented according to the current PA levels. Subjects reporting high levels of PA scored higher in all of the flow dimensions. Stepwise regression analyses indicated that autotelic experience was associated with FPA practice intentions among all of the participants. Furthermore, in the lowactivity group the balance between challenge and skills also emerged as a predictor, while in the high-activity group both the sense of control and the perception of clear objectives resulted significant in the explanation of FPA practice intentions. The findings suggest that the implementation of different strategies to enhance dispositional flow in physical education settings may have the potential to increase FPA intentions, especially those oriented to enhance autotelic experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the motivational profiles of physical education students, and to examine their relationship with physical activity and their intention of being physically active. An attempt was also made to verify whether these profiles and their relationship with physical activity and intention to be physically active remained stable in Spanish, Colombian and Ecuadorian adolescents. The sample consisted of 2670 students aged 12 to 16 (M = 14.30; SD = 1.66), from different schools from Madrid, Armenia, and Cuenca. The results show that there are three motivational profiles: Low moderately motivated, highly motivated-low ego, and highly motivated. The data analysis also showed that the highly motivated profile had the highest score both in physical activity and in the intention to practice it, followed by highly motivated-low ego, and low-moderately motivated profiles. The characteristics of both profiles —as well as the relationships established with dependent variables— remained stable in the samples of the three countries. As a conclusion, highly motivated profile showed higher levels of physical activity and intention to be physically active in the future. There were similarities between adolescents from the different countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of prenatal anxiety has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety is associated with other cardiovascular, physiological, and mental illnesses, resulting in adverse health effects for the mother and foetus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy on the prevalence of prenatal anxiety or symptoms of anxiety. A systematic review and two meta-analyses were performed (Registration No. CRD42021275333). Peer-reviewed articles reporting the effect of a PA intervention on anxiety during pregnancy were included. The first meta-analysis (MA) included 10 studies reporting final scores of prenatal anxiety. A negative association between moderate PA during pregnancy and prenatal anxiety was found in this analysis (z = −2.62, p < 0.01; ES = −0.46, 95% CI = −0.80, −12, I2 = 84%, Pheterogeneity = 0.001). The second MA included eight studies in which measures both before and after a PA intervention were reported. The findings of this analysis revealed a positive association between exercise practice during pregnancy and a decrease in prenatal anxiety scores (z = −3.39, p < 0.001; ES = −0.48, 95% CI = −0.76, −0.20, I2 = 71%, Pheterogeneity = 0.001). Supervised PA during pregnancy could prevent and reduce prenatal anxiety and anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]