The effectiveness of exercise for the prevention and treatment of antenatal depression: systematic review with meta‐analysis. (17th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Daley, AJ; Foster, L; Long, G; Palmer, C; Robinson, O; Walmsley, H; Ward, R
• Is Part Of: BJOG. Volume 122:Number 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 57
• Page End: 62
• Publication Date: 2014-06-17
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12909
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-0328

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjo12909-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Antenatal depression can have harmful consequences for the mother and fetus. Exercise may be a useful intervention to prevent and treat antenatal depression.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>This systematic review aims to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to conclude that exercise is an effective intervention for preventing and treating antenatal depression.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Search strategy</title> <p>Searches using electronic databases from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED and PsycINFO were performed.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Selection criteria</title> <p>Randomised controlled trials (RCT) that compared any type of exercise intervention with any comparator in pregnant women were eligible for inclusion.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Data collection and analysis</title> <p>Meta‐analysis was performed calculating standardised mean differences (SMD).</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Main results</title> <p>Six trials (seven comparisons) were eligible for inclusion. Meta‐analysis showed a significant reduction in depression scores (SMD −0.46, 95% CI −0.87 to −0.05, <italic>P </italic>= 0.03, <italic>I</italic><sup>2</sup> = 68%) for exercise interventions relative to comparator groups. The test for subgroup differences in women who were non‐depressed (one trial) (SMD −0.74, 95%CI −1.22 to −0.27, <italic>P </italic>=<italic> </italic>0.002) and depressed (five trials) (SMD −0.41, 95% CI −0.88 to 0.07, <italic>P </italic>= 0.09) at baseline was not significant (<italic>P </italic>=<italic> </italic>0.32). The test for subgroup differences between aerobic (one trial) and non‐aerobic exercise (five trials) was also nonsignificant (<italic>P </italic>=<italic> </italic>0.32).</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12909-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Authors' conclusions</title> <p>We found some evidence that exercise may be effective in treating depression during pregnancy but this conclusion is based on a small number of low‐moderate quality trials with significant heterogeneity and wide confidence intervals.</p> </sec> </abstract>