Background: Overweight and obesity can increase the risk for certain adverse obstetric outcomes. Exercise may reduce these risks by promoting weight loss or preventing excessive weight gain. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effect of exercise therapy on pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in overweight or obese pregnant women through a meta-analysis.
Methods: We searched the electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science for studies on the effects of exercise therapy on pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in overweight or obese pregnant women. The data were analyzed using Stata software for meta-analysis.
Results: A total of 1,709 pregnant women who met the eligibility criteria were included across 13 studies. The meta-analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the exercise group and the control group in regards to gestational weight gain [GWG; standard mean difference (SMD): -0.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.32 to -0.10)] and gestational hypertension [GH; risk ratio (RR) and 95% CI were 0.53 (0.32-0.88)]. Contrastingly, no significant differences were found between the 2 groups in terms of the other evaluation indicators, including gestational length at delivery, Apgar score at 1 minute and 5 minutes, gestational diabetes, cesarean delivery, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, macrosomia, and neonatal asphyxia.
Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that exercise can reduce the risk of GWG and the occurrence rate of GH in overweight or obese pregnant women, however, exercise had no effect on birth outcomes.
Keywords: Exercise; obese; overweight; pregnancy.