Regular exercise during pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes: a randomized controlled trial

Regular antenatal exercise including pelvic floor muscle training reduces urinary incontinence 3 months postpartum-Follow up of a randomized controlled trial

INTRODUCTION

Urinary incontinence is a frequently reported condition among women with pregnancy and delivery as established risk factors. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of an antenatal exercise program including pelvic floor muscle training on postpartum urinary incontinence, and to explore factors associated with urinary incontinence three months postpartum.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This is a short-term follow-up and secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted at two Norwegian University Hospitals including healthy, pregnant women aged >18 years with a singleton live fetus. Women in the exercise group received a 12-week standardized exercise program including pelvic floor muscle training, with once weekly group exercise classes led by a physiotherapist and twice weekly home exercise sessions. The controls received standard antenatal care. Data were obtained from questionnaires answered in pregnancy weeks 18-22, and three months postpartum. Urinary incontinence prevalence in the exercise and control groups was compared, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied. Urinary incontinence prevalence three months postpartum was assessed by the Sandvik severity index.

RESULTS

Among the 722 (84%) women who responded three months postpartum, significantly fewer women in the exercise group (29%) reported urinary incontinence compared with the standard antenatal care group (38%, P = .01). Among women who were incontinent at baseline, 44% and 59% (P = .014) were incontinent at three months postpartum in the exercise and control groups, respectively. Urinary incontinence three months postpartum was associated with age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0-1.1), experiencing urinary incontinence in late pregnancy (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.3-5.9), birthweight ≥4000 g (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.8), and obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.1-6.1). Cesarean section significantly reduced the risk of urinary incontinence three months postpartum compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery (OR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5).

CONCLUSIONS

A moderate-intensity exercise program including pelvic floor muscle training reduced prevalence of urinary incontinence 3 months postpartum in women who were incontinent at baseline.

Physical Activity Programs during Pregnancy Are Effective for the Control of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus has an incidence of 14% worldwide and nursing is responsible for its monitoring during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is directly related to gestational diabetes mellitus development. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has negative repercussions on the evolution of the pregnancy and the fetus. The objective of this systematic review is to establish how physical activity influences pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and to analyze what benefits physical activity has in the control of gestational diabetes mellitus. A systematic search was carried out in different databases (Cochrane, Superior Council of Scientific Investigations (CSIC), EBSCOhost, Pubmed, Scopus, Web os Science, and Proquest) for papers published within the last 12 years, taking into account different inclusion and exclusion criteria. Six randomized controlled studies and one observational case-control study of a high quality were selected. Fasting, postprandial glucose and HbcA1 were assessed, as well as the requirement and amount of insulin used. Thus, there is a positive relationship between the performance of physical activity and the control of gestational diabetes mellitus. Resistance, aerobic exercise, or a combination of both are effective for the control of glucose, HbcA1, and insulin. Due to the variability of the exercises of the analyzed studies and the variability of the shape of the different pregnant women, it does not permit the recommendation of a particular type of exercise. However, any type of physical activity of sufficient intensity and duration can have benefits for pregnant women with GDM. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus should exercise for at least 20–50 min a minimum of 2 times a week with at a least moderate intensity.

Vitamin D and stress urinary incontinence in pregnancy: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To assess the association between levels of vitamin D and urinary incontinence (UI) in pregnancy.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study. Secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Two university hospitals in Norway.

POPULATION

A total of 851 healthy, pregnant women >18 years in gestational weeks 18-22 with a singleton live fetus.

METHODS

Data on UI were collected from a questionnaire at inclusion and serum analysis of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) was performed. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to study associations between exposure and outcomes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Prevalence of self-reported UI, stress (SUI) and urge (UUI) or mixed UI.

RESULTS

In total, 230/851 (27%) of the participants were vitamin D insufficient (25(OH)D <50 nmol/l) and 42% reported to have any UI. Women with 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l were more likely to report any UI (P = 0.03) and SUI (P < 0.01) compared with women with 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/l. In a univariable logistic regression analysis, serum levels of 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l was associated with increased risk of any UI (odds ratio [OR] 1.5 with 95% CI 1.0-2.1), SUI only (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4), but not mixed UI or UUI only (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.5-1.5). In a multivariable logistic regression model, serum levels of 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l were associated with a higher risk of experiencing SUI only (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.1-2.2).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l was associated with increased risk of any UI, and SUI in particular.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risk of urinary incontinence in pregnancy.

Interventions to prevent women from developing gestational diabetes mellitus: an overview of Cochrane Reviews

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing, with approximately 15% of pregnant women affected worldwide, varying by country, ethnicity and diagnostic thresholds. There are associated short- and long-term health risks for women and their babies.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews on the effects of interventions for preventing GDM.

METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (6 August 2019) with key words 'gestational diabetes' OR 'GDM' to identify reviews pre-specifying GDM as an outcome. We included reviews of interventions in women who were pregnant or planning a pregnancy, irrespective of their GDM risk status. Two overview authors independently assessed eligibility, extracted data and assessed quality of evidence using ROBIS and GRADE tools. We assigned interventions to categories with graphic icons to classify the effectiveness of interventions as: clear evidence of benefit or harm (GRADE moderate- or high-quality evidence with a confidence interval (CI) that did not cross the line of no effect); clear evidence of no effect or equivalence (GRADE moderate- or high-quality evidence with a narrow CI crossing the line of no effect); possible benefit or harm (low-quality evidence with a CI that did not cross the line of no effect or GRADE moderate- or high-quality evidence with a wide CI); or unknown benefit or harm (GRADE low-quality evidence with a wide CI or very low-quality evidence).

MAIN RESULTS

We included 11 Cochrane Reviews (71 trials, 23,154 women) with data on GDM. Nine additional reviews pre-specified GDM as an outcome, but did not identify GDM data in included trials. Ten of the 11 reviews were judged to be at low risk of bias and one review at unclear risk of bias. Interventions assessed included diet, exercise, a combination of diet and exercise, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and management of other health problems in pregnancy. The quality of evidence ranged from high to very low. Diet Unknown benefit or harm: there was unknown benefit or harm of dietary advice versus standard care, on the risk of GDM: risk ratio (RR) 0.60, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.04; 5 trials; 1279 women; very low-quality evidence. There was unknown benefit or harm of a low glycaemic index diet versus a moderate-high glycaemic index diet on the risk of GDM: RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.31; 4 trials; 912 women; low-quality evidence. Exercise Unknown benefit or harm: there was unknown benefit or harm for exercise interventions versus standard antenatal care on the risk of GDM: RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.84; 3 trials; 826 women; low-quality evidence. Diet and exercise combined Possible benefit: combined diet and exercise interventions during pregnancy versus standard care possibly reduced the risk of GDM: RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.01; 19 trials; 6633 women; moderate-quality evidence. Dietary supplements Clear evidence of no effect: omega-3 fatty acid supplementation versus none in pregnancy had no effect on the risk of GDM: RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.26; 12 trials; 5235 women; high-quality evidence. Possible benefit: myo-inositol supplementation during pregnancy versus control possibly reduced the risk of GDM: RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.64; 3 trials; 502 women; low-quality evidence. Possible benefit: vitamin D supplementation versus placebo or control in pregnancy possibly reduced the risk of GDM: RR 0.51, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.97; 4 trials; 446 women; low-quality evidence. Unknown benefit or harm: there was unknown benefit or harm of probiotic with dietary intervention versus placebo with dietary intervention (RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.89; 1 trial; 114 women; very low-quality evidence), or probiotic with dietary intervention versus control (RR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.92; 1 trial; 111 women; very low-quality evidence) on the risk of GDM. There was unknown benefit or harm of vitamin D + calcium supplementation versus placebo (RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.01 to 7.84; 1 trial; 54 women; very low-quality evidence) or vitamin D + calcium + other minerals versus calcium + other minerals (RR 0.42, 95% CI 0.10 to 1.73; 1 trial; 1298 women; very low-quality evidence) on the risk of GDM. Pharmaceutical Possible benefit: metformin versus placebo given to obese pregnant women possibly reduced the risk of GDM: RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.19; 3 trials; 892 women; moderate-quality evidence. Unknown benefit or harm:eight small trials with low- to very low-quality evidence showed unknown benefit or harm for heparin, aspirin, leukocyte immunisation or IgG given to women with a previous stillbirth on the risk of GDM. Management of other health issues Clear evidence of no effect: universal versus risk based screening of pregnant women for thyroid dysfunction had no effect on the risk of GDM: RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.25; 1 trial; 4516 women; moderate-quality evidence. Unknown benefit or harm: there was unknown benefit or harm of using fractional exhaled nitrogen oxide versus a clinical algorithm to adjust asthma therapy on the risk of GDM: RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.77; 1 trial; 210 women; low-quality evidence. There was unknown benefit or harm of pharmacist led multidisciplinary approach to management of maternal asthma versus standard care on the risk of GDM: RR 5.00, 95% CI 0.25 to 99.82; 1 trial; 58 women; low-quality evidence.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

No interventions to prevent GDM in 11 systematic reviews were of clear benefit or harm. A combination of exercise and diet, supplementation with myo-inositol, supplementation with vitamin D and metformin were of possible benefit in reducing the risk of GDM, but further high-quality evidence is needed. Omega-3-fatty acid supplementation and universal screening for thyroid dysfunction did not alter the risk of GDM. There was insufficient high-quality evidence to establish the effect on the risk of GDM of diet or exercise alone, probiotics, vitamin D with calcium or other vitamins and minerals, interventions in pregnancy after a previous stillbirth, and different asthma management strategies in pregnancy. There is a lack of trials investigating the effect of interventions prior to or between pregnancies on risk of GDM.

Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women

BACKGROUND

About one-third of women have urinary incontinence (UI) and up to one-tenth have faecal incontinence (FI) after childbirth. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is commonly recommended during pregnancy and after birth for both preventing and treating incontinence. This is an update of a Cochrane Review previously published in 2017.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of PFMT for preventing or treating urinary and faecal incontinence in pregnant or postnatal women, and summarise the principal findings of relevant economic evaluations.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Specialised Register, which contains trials identified from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, MEDLINE Epub Ahead of Print, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP, and handsearched journals and conference proceedings (searched 7 August 2019), and the reference lists of retrieved studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised or quasi-randomised trials in which one arm included PFMT. Another arm was no PFMT, usual antenatal or postnatal care, another control condition, or an alternative PFMT intervention. Populations included women who, at randomisation, were continent (PFMT for prevention) or incontinent (PFMT for treatment), and a mixed population of women who were one or the other (PFMT for prevention or treatment).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias. We extracted data and assessed the quality of evidence using GRADE.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 46 trials involving 10,832 women from 21 countries. Overall, trials were small to moderately-sized. The PFMT programmes and control conditions varied considerably and were often poorly described. Many trials were at moderate to high risk of bias. Two participants in a study of 43 pregnant women performing PFMT for prevention of incontinence withdrew due to pelvic floor pain. No other trials reported any adverse effects of PFMT. Prevention of UI: compared with usual care, continent pregnant women performing antenatal PFMT probably have a lower risk of reporting UI in late pregnancy (62% less; risk ratio (RR) 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20 to 0.72; 6 trials, 624 women; moderate-quality evidence). Antenatal PFMT slightly decreased the risk of UI in the mid-postnatal period (more than three to six months' postpartum) (29% less; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.95; 5 trials, 673 women; high-quality evidence). There was insufficient information available for the late postnatal period (more than six to 12 months) to determine effects at this time point (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.65 to 2.21; 1 trial, 44 women; low-quality evidence). Treatment of UI: compared with usual care, there is no evidence that antenatal PFMT in incontinent women decreases incontinence in late pregnancy (very low-quality evidence), or in the mid-(RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.24; 1 trial, 187 women; low-quality evidence), or late postnatal periods (very low-quality evidence). Similarly, in postnatal women with persistent UI, there is no evidence that PFMT results in a difference in UI at more than six to 12 months postpartum (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.07; 3 trials; 696 women; low-quality evidence). Mixed prevention and treatment approach to UI: antenatal PFMT in women with or without UI probably decreases UI risk in late pregnancy (22% less; RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.94; 11 trials, 3307 women; moderate-quality evidence), and may reduce the risk slightly in the mid-postnatal period (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.97; 5 trials, 1921 women; low-quality evidence). There was no evidence that antenatal PFMT reduces the risk of UI at late postpartum (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.14; 2 trials, 244 women; moderate-quality evidence). For PFMT started after delivery, there was uncertainty about the effect on UI risk in the late postnatal period (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.09; 3 trials, 826 women; moderate-quality evidence). Faecal incontinence: eight trials reported FI outcomes. In postnatal women with persistent FI, it was uncertain whether PFMT reduced incontinence in the late postnatal period compared to usual care (very low-quality evidence). In women with or without FI, there was no evidence that antenatal PFMT led to a difference in the prevalence of FI in late pregnancy (RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.36 to 1.14; 3 trials, 910 women; moderate-quality evidence). Similarly, for postnatal PFMT in a mixed population, there was no evidence that PFMT reduces the risk of FI in the late postnatal period (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.13 to 4.21; 1 trial, 107 women, low-quality evidence). There was little evidence about effects on UI or FI beyond 12 months' postpartum. There were few incontinence-specific quality of life data and little consensus on how to measure it.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This review provides evidence that early, structured PFMT in early pregnancy for continent women may prevent the onset of UI in late pregnancy and postpartum. Population approaches (recruiting antenatal women regardless of continence status) may have a smaller effect on UI, although the reasons for this are unclear. A population-based approach for delivering postnatal PFMT is not likely to reduce UI. Uncertainty surrounds the effects of PFMT as a treatment for UI in antenatal and postnatal women, which contrasts with the more established effectiveness in mid-life women. It is possible that the effects of PFMT might be greater with targeted rather than mixed prevention and treatment approaches, and in certain groups of women. Hypothetically, for instance, women with a high body mass index (BMI) are at risk of UI. Such uncertainties require further testing and data on duration of effect are also needed. The physiological and behavioural aspects of exercise programmes must be described for both PFMT and control groups, and how much PFMT women in both groups do, to increase understanding of what works and for whom. Few data exist on FI and it is important that this is included in any future trials. It is essential that future trials use valid measures of incontinence-specific quality of life for both urinary and faecal incontinence. In addition to further clinical studies, economic evaluations assessing the cost-effectiveness of different management strategies for FI and UI are needed.

Neurodevelopmental outcome in 7-year-old children is not affected by exercise during pregnancy: follow up of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether regular moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy had adverse effect on neurodevelopment of offspring at 7 years of age.

DESIGN

Follow up of a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital and Stavanger University Hospital, Norway (2007-09).

POPULATION

Women randomised to follow a 12-week structured exercise protocol or standard antenatal care during pregnancy.

METHODS

At 7 years of age, neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed by the parent questionnaire Five-To-Fifteen (FTF), including motor skills, executive functions, perception, memory, language, social skills and possible emotional/behavioural problems.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Continuous and dichotomised (cut-off 90th centile) FTF scores.

RESULTS

A total of 855 women were randomised to exercise (n = 429) or standard antenatal care (n = 426) during pregnancy. At follow up, 164 (38.2%) children born to mothers in the intervention group and 115 (27.0%) children born to mothers in the control group participated. We found no group differences in FTF scores or in the proportion of children with scores ≥90th centile. Stratified analyses by sex, subgroup analyses of women who adhered to the exercise protocol or sensitivity analyses excluding preterm children and/or children who had been admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit did not change the results.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present randomised controlled trial follow-up study, regular moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy did not have adverse effect on neurodevelopment of offspring at 7 years of age.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy had no adverse effect on neurodevelopment of offspring at 7 years of age.

The Effectiveness of Regular Exercise Programs in the Prevention of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus-A Systematic Review

Importance

Physical activity is recognized as one of the most important tools in the management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Objective

The aim of this review was to compare and analyze regular prenatal exercise programs and examine their effectiveness in the prevention of GDM.

Evidence Acquisition

The following databases were used: Academic Search Complete, Health Source-Consumer Edition, Health Source-Nursing/Academic Edition, Master File Premier, MEDLINE, and SportDiscus with full text. The inclusion criteria were as follows: a randomized study, regular training program throughout pregnancy, and supervised by a prenatal activity specialist.

Results

The 10 articles selected for the review were divided into 2 groups. The first group comprised 2 studies presenting successful interventions in the prevention of GDM, whereas the second group included 8 articles with no statistically significant effects of the training programs in GDM prevention. Beginning an exercise program at early stages of the pregnancy and high adherence were common features of the effective programs.

Conclusions

When designing and carrying out the program, the beginning of the intervention and adherence should be considered. To increase adherence, the program should be attractive and it should meet the participants' needs.

Conclusions and Relevance

This review might be used for identifying factors deciding whether an exercise program is an effective intervention to prevent the development of GDM. Moreover, it might also prove useful in the preparation of future guidelines for designing and implementing regular exercise programs effective in preventing GDM in pregnant women by gynecologists, obstetricians, midwives, trainers, and prenatal specialists.

Exercise improves metabolic function and alters the microbiome in rats with gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy complication, particularly prevalent in obese women. Importantly, exercise has beneficial impacts on maternal glucose control and may prevent GDM in "at-risk" women. We aimed to determine whether a high-fat diet (HFD) exacerbates metabolic dysfunction and alters gut microbiome in GDM and whether endurance exercise prevents these changes. Uteroplacental insufficiency was induced by bilateral uterine vessel ligation (Restricted) or sham (Control) surgery on E18 in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Female offspring were fed a Chow or HFD (23% fat) from weaning (5 weeks) and at 16 weeks randomly allocated to remain Sedentary or to an exercise protocol of either Exercise prior to and during pregnancy (Exercise); or Exercise during pregnancy only (PregEx). Females were mated (20 weeks) and underwent indirect calorimetry (embryonic day 16; E16), glucose tolerance testing (E18), followed by 24-hr feces collection at E19 (n = 8-10/group). HFD consumption in female rats with GDM exacerbated the adverse metabolic adaptations to pregnancy and altered gut microbial populations. Specifically, the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio was increased, due to an underlying change in abundance of the orders Clostridiales and Bacteroidales. Maternal Exercise, but not PregEx, prevented the development of metabolic dysfunction, increased pancreatic β-cell mass, and prevented the alteration of the gut microbiome in GDM females. Our findings suggest that maternal exercise and diet influence metabolic and microbiome dysfunction in females with GDM, which may impact long-term maternal and offspring health.

Prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus in overweight or obese pregnant women: A network meta-analysis

AIMS

Several interventions have been implemented to prevent the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in obese pregnant women, including physical exercise programs, and administration of metformin, vitamin D and probiotics. The aim of this network meta-analysis was to compare the efficiency of these interventions and identify the optimal.

MATERIALS

A network meta-analysis of randomized trials was performed comparing the different interventions for the development of GDM in overweight or obese women, either to each other or placebo/no intervention. A search was conducted in four electronic databases and grey literature sources. The primary outcome was the development of GDM; secondary outcomes were other complications of pregnancy.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 23 studies (4237 participants). None of the interventions was superior compared with placebo/no intervention for the prevention of GDM. Metformin and physical exercise were superior to placebo/no intervention for gestational weight gain (MD -1.21, 95% CI -2.14 to -0.28 and MD -0.96, 95% CI -1.69 to -0.22, respectively). Metformin was superior to placebo/no intervention for caesarean sections and admission to NICU.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions aiming to prevent the development of GDM in overweight/obese women are not effective, when applied during pregnancy.

Protective Effect of Exercise in Pregnant Women Including Those Who Exceed Weight Gain Recommendations: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of supervised moderate to vigorous exercise on gestational weight gain, its related risks (gestational diabetes [GD]), macrosomia, and type of delivery), and the preventive effects on women who exceed the weight gain recommendations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center, 2-armed, randomized controlled trial between October 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011, in which 678 women were assessed and 345 were randomized by a central computer system to an intervention group (N=115) or a standard care group (N=230). The intervention exercise program consisted of 70 to 78 sessions (24 weeks, 3 times per week, 60-65 minutes per session, moderate to vigorous intensity). The standard care group received usual care. Excessive gestational weight (EGW) gain was calculated on the basis of the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations.

RESULTS

Of the 345 women randomized for treatment, 44 were lost to follow-up, leaving 301 women for analysis (intervention, 100; standard care, 201). Fewer women in the intervention group exceeded IOM recommendations (22 [22.0%] vs 69 [34.3%]; P=.03), including overweight and obese women (15 of 35 [42.9%] vs 40 of 50 [80.0%]; P=.001). Analysis of women exceeding weight recommendations revealed that the 3 main related risks were directly related to EGW gain in the standard care group (GD, P=.003; macrosomia, P<.001; type of delivery, P<.001) but not in the intervention group (GD, P>.99; macrosomia, 0%; type of delivery, P=.46).

CONCLUSION

Supervised moderate to vigorous exercise performed throughout gestation was effective in the prevention of EGW gain even for women with a pregestational body mass index greater than 25 kg/m². It also prevented its related risks (GD, macrosomia, and type of delivery) including for women exceeding the IOM recommendations, so we suggest that being active outweighs the effect of possible weight gain.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01477372.

Physical activity pattern in early pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus risk among low-income women: A prospective cross-sectional study

Objective:

Gestational diabetes mellitus is increasing worldwide, mainly in developing countries, and physical activity has not been studied in gestational diabetes mellitus prevention among low-income population. This prospective cross-sectional study assessed the gestational diabetes mellitus risk related to physical activity in early pregnancy among low-income women.

Methods:

A prospective cross-sectional study with 544 low-income pregnant women was conducted at the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira, Brazil. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed using the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria. Physical activity was assessed during early pregnancy using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire and categorized as sedentary, light, moderate, or vigorous intensity.

Results:

Gestational diabetes mellitus occurred in 95 of 544 women (17.4%). Body mass index was higher in the gestational diabetes mellitus group. Nearly half of all pregnant women studied were physically inactive, and none of them were classified as vigorous physical active. Sedentary physical activity pattern was associated with a higher odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.1–2.9), which did not change after adjusting for several covariates (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval = 1.2–3.1).

Conclusion:

Physical inactivity in early pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus among low-income women.

Impact of job adjustment, pain location and exercise on sick leave due to lumbopelvic pain in pregnancy: a longitudinal study

Objective: To identify factors associated with sick leave due to lumbopelvic pain (LPP) in pregnancy. Design: Prospective cohort study using participants from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to study the effect of exercise during pregnancy on pregnancy related diseases. Setting: St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital and Stavanger University Hospital, April 2007 to December 2009. Subjects: Healthy pregnant women. Main outcome measures: Self-reported sick leave due to LPP in late pregnancy (gestation week 32-36). Results: In total, 532/716 (74%) women reported LPP at 32-36 weeks of pregnancy, and 197/716 (28%) reported sick leave due to LPP. Not receiving job adjustments when needed (Odds ratio, OR with 95% confidence interval, CI, was 3.0 (1.7-5.4)) and having any pain in the pelvic girdle versus no pain (OR 2.7 (1.3-5.6), OR 2.7 (1.4-5.2) and OR 2.2 (1.04-4.8)) for anterior, posterior and combined anterior and posterior pain in the pelvis respectively, were associated with sick leave due to LPP in late pregnancy. Also higher disability, sick listed due to LPP at inclusion and lower education, were significant explanatory variables. There was a trend of reduced risk for sick leave due to LPP when allocated to the exercise group in the original RCT (OR 0.7 (0.4-1.0)). Conclusion: Facilitating job adjustments when required might keep more pregnant women in employment. Furthermore, pain locations in pelvic area, disability, lower education and being sick listed due to LPP in mid pregnancy are important risk factors for sick leave in late pregnancy. Key points Current awareness: More than half of pregnant women are on sick leave during pregnancy and the most frequently reported cause is lumbopelvic pain. This paper adds: Inability to make job adjustments, pain locations in pelvic area, disability and lower education level were the most important risk factors for sick leave in late pregnancy. Facilitating early job adjustment might be a precaution to keep more pregnant women in work. Allocation to an exercise group tended to reduce the risk of sick leave in late pregnancy.Registration number: Clinical trial gov (NCT00476567).

Interventions to prevent women developing gestational diabetes mellitus: an overview of Cochrane Reviews

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Overview). The objectives are as follows:

To summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews regarding the effects of interventions to prevent women developing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

The effect of an exercise program in pregnancy on vitamin D status among healthy, pregnant Norwegian women: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Vitamin D insufficiency is common in pregnant women worldwide. Regular prenatal exercise is considered beneficial for maternal and fetal health. There is a knowledge gap regarding the impact of prenatal exercise on maternal vitamin D levels. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a prenatal exercise program influenced serum levels of total, free and bioavailable 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and related parameters. This is a post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial with gestational diabetes as the primary outcome.

METHODS

Healthy, pregnant women from two Norwegian cities (Trondheim and Stavanger) were randomly assigned to a 12-week moderate-intensity exercise program (Borg perceived rating scale 13-14) or standard prenatal care. The intervention group (n = 429) underwent exercise at least three times weekly; one supervised group training and two home based sessions. The controls (n = 426) received standard prenatal care, and exercising was not denied. Training diaries and group training was used to promote compliance and evaluate adherence. Serum levels of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, phosphate, magnesium and vitamin D-binding protein were measured before (18-22 weeks' gestation) and after the intervention (32-36 weeks' gestation). Free and bioavailable 25(OH)D concentrations were calculated. Regression analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to assess the effect of the training regime on each substance with pre-intervention levels as covariates. In a second model, we also adjusted for study site and sampling month. Intention-to-treat principle was used.

RESULTS

A total of 724 women completed the study. No between-group difference in serum 25(OH)D and related parameters was identified by ANCOVA using baseline serum levels as covariates. The second model revealed a between-group difference in levels of 25(OH)D (1.9, 95% CI 0.0 to 3.8 nmol/L; p = 0.048), free 25(OH)D (0.55, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.99 pmol/L; p = 0.017) and bioavailable 25(OH)D (0.15 95% CI 0.01 to 0.29 nmol/L; p = 0.036). No serious adverse events related to regular exercise were seen.

CONCLUSION

This study, a post hoc analysis, indicates that exercise may affect vitamin D status positively, and emphasizes that women with uncomplicated pregnancies should be encouraged to perform regular exercise.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00476567 , registered May 22, 2007.

How diet, physical activity and psychosocial well-being interact in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: an integrative review

Background

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is associated with future cardio-metabolic risks for the mother and her child. In addition, one-third of women with recent GDM develop postpartum depression. Given these adverse impacts of GDM on the health of the mother and her offspring, it is important to intervene on modifiable factors, such as diet, physical activity, and psychosocial well-being. This integrative review therefore explored evidence on how these modifiable factors interact in women with GDM and their offspring, and how effective combined interventions are on reducing adverse impacts of GDM.

Methods

A comprehensive search strategy included carefully selected terms that corresponded to the domains of interest (diet, physical activity and psychosocial well-being). The databases searched for articles published between 1980 and February 2018 were: CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Pubmed and Cochrane. Studies that were included in this review were either observational or intervention studies that included at least two domains of interest. Articles had to at least report data on maternal outcomes of women with GDM.

Results

The search strategies identified 14′419 citations after excluding duplicates. After screening titles and then abstracts, 114 articles were selected for detailed evaluation of their full text, and 16 were included in this review: two observational and 14 intervention studies. Results from observational studies showed that psychosocial well-being (social support and self-efficacy) were positively associated with physical activity and dietary choice. Intervention studies always included diet and physical activity interventions, although none integrated psychosocial well-being in the intervention. These lifestyle interventions mostly led to increased physical activity, improved diet and lower stress perception. Many of these lifestyle interventions also reduced BMI and postpartum diabetes status, improved metabolic outcomes and reduced the risk of preterm deliveries and low birth weight.

Conclusion

This integrative review showed that psychosocial well-being interacted with diet as well as with physical activity in women with GDM. We recommend that future studies consider integrating psychosocial well-being in their intervention, as observational studies demonstrated that social support and self-efficacy helped with adopting a healthy lifestyle following GDM diagnosis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2185-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Lessons learned from lifestyle prevention trials in gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes for mother and infant both at birth and later in life. A large body of evidence is now available relating to antenatal prevention of GDM. Overall, despite some individual trials of a variety of lifestyle interventions revealing benefit, many more have shown no effect from the second trimester onwards, even with significant gestational weight gain limitation. At-risk women often seem reluctant to engage in lifestyle changes and frequently cannot adhere to recommended interventions even within a clinical trial setting. Many trials have not considered the heterogeneity of diabetes first discovered in pregnancy, something of importance into the future. Future work should focus on designing interventions acceptable to the population at risk, whether those taking place before or during the first trimester of pregnancy are effective, and whether greater individualization can identify those women most likely to benefit.

The influence of home-based exercise on gestational diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Introduction: The impact of home-based exercise for gestational diabetes remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the influence of home-based exercise on glycemic control for gestational diabetes.Methods: We search PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library databases through April 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of home-based exercise on glycemic control for gestational diabetes.Results: Five RCTs involving 266 patients are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group for gestational diabetes, home-based exercise shows no important impact on fasting glucose (std. MD =0.18; 95% CI = -0.11-0.46; p = .22), HbA1c (std. MD = -0.05; 95% CI = -0.32-0.22; p = .70), insulin requirement (risk ratios (RR) = 1.63; 95% CI =0.51-5.17; p = .41), insulin sensitivity index (std. MD = -0.18; 95% CI = -1.02-0.66; p = .67), gestational age at delivery (std. MD =0.01; 95% CI = -0.26-0.28; p = .95), preterm birth (RR =1.01; 95% CI =0.34-2.99; p = .99), birth weight (std. MD =0.06; 95% CI = -0.45-0.58; p = .81) and head circumference (std. MD =0.11; 95% CI = -0.16-0.38; p = .44).Conclusions: Home-based exercise demonstrates no substantial benefits to fasting glucose, HbA1c, insulin requirement, insulin sensitivity index, gestational age at delivery, preterm birth, birth weight and head circumference for gestational diabetes women.

Influence of aerobic exercise on maternal lipid levels and offspring morphometrics

BACKGROUND

Maternal BMI, lipid levels (cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL), and exercise amount are interrelated and each influence offspring body size. This study proposed to determine the influence of exercise on maternal lipid levels and infant body size.

METHODS

We had 36 participants complete these measures. Participants in the aerobic exercise intervention (n = 14) completed three 50-min sessions weekly from 16 weeks gestation to delivery and were compared with a non-exercise control group (n = 22). Maternal lipid profiles were assessed at 16 and at 36 weeks gestation. Fetal body size was measured at 36 weeks gestational age using ultrasound assessment. Neonatal body size measures were acquired from birth records. Statistical analysis included two-sample t-tests, correlations, and regression models.

RESULTS

Participants were similar in age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gravida, parity, education, and gestational weight gain (GWG). There were no differences in gestational age, Apgar scores at 1 and 5 min for infants of exercisers relative to controls. Exercisers had higher pre-training triglycerides (p = 0.004) and pregnancy change in triglycerides (p = 0.049) compared to controls. Head circumference was significantly larger in exercise exposed infants relative to infants of controls. Pregnancy METs had a positive relationship with birth length (r = .445, p = .006) and birth weight (r = .391, p = .02). GWG had a moderate, positive relationship with fetal abdominal circumference (r = .570, p = .004). Regression analysis indicated 5 predictors explained 61.7% of the variance in birth weight (Adj.R² = 0.469, F(5,13) = 5,13, p = 0.02); it was found that pregnancy METs (β = .724, p = .007), 36 week cholesterol (β = 1.066, p = .02), and 36 week LDL (β = -1.267, p = .006) significantly predict birth weight. Regression analysis indicated 4 predictors explained 43.8% of the variance in birth length (Adj.R² = 0.306, F(4,17) = 3.32, p = 0.04); it was found that pregnancy METs (β = .530, p = .03), and 36 week LDL (β = -.891, p = .049) significantly predict birth length.

CONCLUSION

The primary association and predictors of infant body size was related to pregnancy exercise and late pregnancy cholesterol and LDL levels. Considering these relationships, it is essential that women maintain aerobic exercise during pregnancy, but should also be cognizant of lipid levels during their pregnancy. Therefore intervention during pregnancy focused on infant body size should involve exercise and and quality nutritional intake foods during pregnancy.

Dietary Intakes and Dietary Quality during Pregnancy in Women with and without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus-A Norwegian Longitudinal Study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with maternal diet, however, findings are inconsistent. The aims of the present study were to assess whether intakes of foods and beverages during pregnancy differed between women who developed GDM and non-GDM women, and to compare dietary intakes with dietary recommendations of pregnancy. This is a longitudinal study using participants of a randomized controlled trial. Women with complete measurements of a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 18–22 and 32–36 weeks gestation were included in the cohort (n = 702). Women were diagnosed for GDM according to the simplified International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group criteria at 32–36 weeks (GDM women: n = 40; non-GDM women: n = 662). Dietary data (food frequency questionnaire) was collected at both time points and compared between GDM and non-GDM women. Variability in OGTT values was assessed in a general linear model. Marginal differences between GDM and non-GDM women in intakes of food groups were found. No associations were found between dietary variables and OGTT values. Not all dietary recommendations were followed in the cohort, with frequently reported alcohol consumption giving largest cause for concern. This study did not find dietary differences that could help explain why 40 women developed GDM.

The effect of exercise during pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus in normal-weight women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications during pregnancy, and it has both short- and long-term adverse effects on the health of mothers and fetuses. To investigate the effect of exercise during pregnancy on the occurrence of GDM among normal-weight pregnant women.

Methods

We searched for studies published between January 1994 and June 2017 that appeared in the Web of Science, Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov or Cochrane library databases. Randomized controlled trials that investigated the preventive effect of exercise on GDM in normal-weight women were included. Interventions including any confounding factors (e.g., dietary) were excluded. We extracted maternal characteristics, the diagnostic criteria of GDM, and basic information for intervention and obstetric outcomes. The primary outcome was the occurrence of GDM, and the secondary outcomes included gestational weight gain, gestational age at birth, birth weight, and the odds of cesarean section. A meta-analysis was conducted based on calculations of pooled estimates using the random-effects model.

Results

Eight studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Exercise during pregnancy was shown to decrease the occurrence of GDM [RR = 0.58, 95% CI (0.37, 0.90), P = 0.01 and RR = 0.60, 95% CI (0.36, 0.98), P = 0.04 based on different diagnosis criteria, respectively] in normal-weight women. Regarding secondary outcomes, exercise during pregnancy can decrease gestational weight gain [MD = − 1.61, 95% CI (− 1.99, − 1.22), P<0.01], and  had no significant effects on gestational age at birth [MD = − 0.55, 95% CI (− 1.57, 0.47), P = 0.29], birth weight [MD = − 18.70, 95% CI (− 52.49, 15.08), P = 0.28], and the odds of caesarean section [RR = 0.88, 95% CI (0.72, 1.08), P = 0.21], respectively.

Conclusions

Exercise during pregnancy can ostensibly decrease the occurrence of GDM without reducing gestational age at delivery and increasing the odds of cesarean section in normal-weight women.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-018-2068-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Effects of physical activity during pregnancy on preterm delivery and mode of delivery: The Japan Environment and Children's Study, birth cohort study

Background

The aim of this study was to examine how physical activity (PA) before and during pregnancy influences pregnancy outcomes, particularly preterm delivery and mode of delivery.

Methods

This study was based on the Japan Environment and Children’s Study. A total of 92,796 pregnant women who gave birth to live singleton babies were included. Information on mean PA per week during pregnancy was extracted from the responses to questionnaires completed by women during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Information on PA before pregnancy was obtained from questionnaires answered based on recall at participation. The level of PA was stratified into the following quartiles for categorical analysis: Very low, Low, Medium, and High. Pregnancy outcomes, gestational age at delivery (whether preterm delivery or not), and mode of delivery (spontaneous, instrumental, or caesarean delivery) were compared between the different groups adjusted for multiple covariates.

Results

With respect to PA during pregnancy, the risk of preterm delivery and instrumental delivery increased significantly in the Very low group compared to that in the Medium group (odds ratios [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.29; OR 1.12, 95% CI, 1.03–1.22, respectively). Moreover, the risks of caesarean delivery in the Low group and instrumental delivery in the High group were significantly higher than the risks in the Medium group (OR 1.07, 95% CI, 1.00–1.15; OR 1.12, 95% CI, 1.02–1.22, respectively). In contrast, with respect to PA before pregnancy, there were no statistically significant differences when the other groups were compared to the Medium group.

Conclusions

Pre-pregnancy PA has no negative effects on preterm birth and caesarean delivery. In contrast, both may be affected by PA during pregnancy because a low level of PA appears to slightly increase the risk of preterm delivery and operative delivery (caesarean and instrumental).

Systematic review of interventions targeting sickness absence among pregnant women in healthcare settings and workplaces

OBJECTIVES

The high rate of sickness absence from work during pregnancy is recognised as a problem, and may be higher than necessary from a health perspective. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in healthcare settings and workplaces targeting sickness absence among pregnant women.

METHODS

Studies were eligible if they included pregnant women participating in any intervention in healthcare settings or workplaces. The outcome was length of sickness absence in days or number of episodes. Study design had to be either randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies.The search for studies was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ClinicalTrials.gov and WHO trial registry. Risk of bias was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute standardised quality assessment instrument.

RESULTS

A total of nine studies were quality assessed and of these, four were excluded due to insufficient methodological quality. Five RCTs conducted in healthcare settings in Sweden and Norway were included. Due to heterogeneity, meta-analysis was not performed.Two RCTs examined complementary and alternative medicine and three RCTs the effect of physical exercise. In general, the frequency of women on sickness absence was lower in the intervention groups than the control groups, however, only among pregnant women who participated in a 12-week exercise programme, the frequency was significantly lower (22% vs 30%, p=0.04).

CONCLUSION

The evidence of interventions targeting sickness absence among pregnant women in healthcare settings is sparse, and no studies were conducted at workplaces.Future interventions including physical activity provided in collaboration with healthcare settings and workplaces are requested. Studies should measure sickness absence based on valid methods, measure compliance to the intervention and provide transparency of statistical methods.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42018084802.

Improving the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions for gestational diabetes prevention: a meta-analysis and meta-regression

BACKGROUND

Diet and exercise during pregnancy have been used to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with some success.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effectiveness of lifestyle intervention on GDM prevention and to identify key effectiveness moderators to improve the prevention strategy.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, and cross-references were searched.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating lifestyle interventions during pregnancy for GDM prevention.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two independent reviewers extracted data. A random-effects model was used to analyse the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Meta-regressions and subgroup analyses were used to investigate important moderators of effectiveness.

MAIN RESULTS

Forty-seven RCTs involving 15 745 participants showed that diet and exercise during pregnancy were preventive of GDM (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.69-0.87). Four key aspects were identified to improve the preventive effect: targeting the high-risk population; an early initiation of the intervention; the correct intensity and frequency of exercise; and gestational weight gain management. Although 24 RCTs targeted women who were overweight or obese, body mass index (BMI) failed to predict the effectiveness of an intervention. Instead, interventions are most effective in high-incidence populations rather than simply in women who are overweight or obese. Furthermore, exercise of moderate intensity for 50-60 minutes twice a week could lead to an approximately 24% reduction in GDM.

CONCLUSION

The best strategy to prevent GDM is to target the high-risk population predicted by risk evaluation models and to control the gestational weight gain of women through intensified diet and exercise modifications early in their pregnancy.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

Four key effectiveness moderators of lifestyle interventions for GDM prevention.

Impact of prenatal exercise on maternal harms, labour and delivery outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic review of the relationships between prenatal exercise and maternal harms including labour/delivery outcomes.

DESIGN

Systematic review with random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.

DATASOURCES

Online databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies of all designs were included (except case studies) if they were published in English, Spanish or French and contained information on the population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), intervention (subjective or objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of exercise), comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume and type of exercise, alone ["exercise-only"] or in combination with other intervention components [e.g., dietary; "exercise + co-intervention"]) and outcome (preterm/prelabour rupture of membranes, caesarean section, instrumental delivery, induction of labour, length of labour, vaginal tears, fatigue, injury, musculoskeletal trauma, maternal harms (author defined) and diastasis recti).

RESULTS

113 studies (n=52 858 women) were included. 'Moderate' quality evidence from exercise-only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) indicated a 24% reduction in the odds of instrumental delivery in women who exercised compared with women who did not (20 RCTs, n=3819; OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.92, I ²= 0 %). The remaining outcomes were not associated with exercise. Results from meta-regression did not identify a dose-response relationship between frequency, intensity, duration or volume of exercise and labour and delivery outcomes.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS

Prenatal exercise reduced the odds of instrumental delivery in the general obstetrical population. There was no relationship between prenatal exercise and preterm/prelabour rupture of membranes, caesarean section, induction of labour, length of labour, vaginal tears, fatigue, injury, musculoskeletal trauma, maternal harms and diastasis recti.

Impact of prenatal exercise on neonatal and childhood outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

We aimed to identify the relationship between maternal prenatal exercise and birth complications, and neonatal and childhood morphometric, metabolic and developmental outcomes.

Design

Systematic review with random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources

Online databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.

Study eligibility criteria

Studies of all designs were eligible (except case studies and reviews) if published in English, Spanish or French, and contained information on the relevant population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), intervention (subjective/objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of exercise, alone (‘exercise-only’) or in combination with other intervention components (eg, dietary; ‘exercise+cointervention’)), comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume, type or trimester of exercise) and outcomes (preterm birth, gestational age at delivery, birth weight, low birth weight (<2500 g), high birth weight (>4000 g), small for gestational age, large for gestational age, intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal hypoglycaemia, metabolic acidosis (cord blood pH, base excess), hyperbilirubinaemia, Apgar scores, neonatal intensive care unit admittance, shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus injury, neonatal body composition (per cent body fat, body weight, body mass index (BMI), ponderal index), childhood obesity (per cent body fat, body weight, BMI) and developmental milestones (including cognitive, psychosocial, motor skills)).

Results

A total of 135 studies (n=166 094) were included. There was ‘high’ quality evidence from exercise-only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) showing a 39% reduction in the odds of having a baby >4000 g (macrosomia: 15 RCTs, n=3670; OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.92) in women who exercised compared with women who did not exercise, without affecting the odds of growth-restricted, preterm or low birth weight babies. Prenatal exercise was not associated with the other neonatal or infant outcomes that were examined.

Conclusions

Prenatal exercise is safe and beneficial for the fetus. Maternal exercise was associated with reduced odds of macrosomia (abnormally large babies) and was not associated with neonatal complications or adverse childhood outcomes.

Prenatal exercise for the prevention of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), gestational hypertension (GH) and pre-eclampsia (PE) are associated with short and long-term health issues for mother and child; prevention of these complications is critically important. This study aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationships between prenatal exercise and GDM, GH and PE.

Design

Systematic review with random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources

Online databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.

Study eligibility criteria

Studies of all designs were included (except case studies) if published in English, Spanish or French, and contained information on the Population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), Intervention (subjective or objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of exercise, alone [“exercise-only”] or in combination with other intervention components [e.g., dietary; “exercise + co-intervention”]), Comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume and type of exercise) and Outcomes (GDM, GH, PE).

Results

A total of 106 studies (n=273 182) were included. ‘Moderate’ to ‘high’-quality evidence from randomised controlled trials revealed that exercise-only interventions, but not exercise+cointerventions, reduced odds of GDM (n=6934; OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.75), GH (n=5316; OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.85) and PE (n=3322; OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.9) compared with no exercise. To achieve at least a 25% reduction in the odds of developing GDM, PE and GH, pregnant women need to accumulate at least 600 MET-min/week of moderate-intensity exercise (eg, 140 min of brisk walking, water aerobics, stationary cycling or resistance training).

Summary/conclusions

In conclusion, exercise-only interventions were effective at lowering the odds of developing GDM, GH and PE.

Glucose responses to acute and chronic exercise during pregnancy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the relationship between prenatal exercise and glycaemic control.

Design

Systematic review with random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources

Online databases were searched up to 6 January 2017.

Study eligibility criteria

Studies of all designs were included (except case studies and reviews) if they were published in English, Spanish or French, and contained information on the population (pregnant women without contraindication to exercise), intervention (subjective or objective measures of frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of acute or chronic exercise, alone (‘exercise-only’) or in combination with other intervention components (eg, dietary; ‘exercise+cointervention’) at any stage of pregnancy), comparator (no exercise or different frequency, intensity, duration, volume and type of exercise) and outcome (glycaemic control).

Results

A total of 58 studies (n=8699) were included. There was ‘very low’ quality evidence showing that an acute bout of exercise was associated with a decrease in maternal blood glucose from before to during exercise (6 studies, n=123; mean difference (MD) −0.94 mmol/L, 95% CI −1.18 to −0.70, I2=41%) and following exercise (n=333; MD −0.57 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.72 to −0.41, I2=72%). Subgroup analysis showed that there were larger decreases in blood glucose following acute exercise in women with diabetes (n=26; MD −1.42, 95% CI −1.69 to −1.16, I2=8%) compared with those without diabetes (n=285; MD −0.46, 95% CI −0.60 to −0.32, I2=62%). Finally, chronic exercise-only interventions reduced fasting blood glucose compared with no exercise postintervention in women with diabetes (2 studies, n=70; MD −2.76, 95% CI −3.18 to −2.34, I2=52%; ‘low’ quality of evidence), but not in those without diabetes (9 studies, n=2174; MD −0.05, 95% CI −0.16 to 0.05, I2=79%).

Conclusion

Acute and chronic prenatal exercise reduced maternal circulating blood glucose concentrations, with a larger effect in women with diabetes.

Is supine exercise associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes? A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Theoretical concerns regarding the supine position at rest due to the gravid uterus obstructing aorta and vena caval flow may impinge uterine blood flow (UBF) to the fetus and maternal venous return.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

DATA SOURCES

Online databases up to 11 December 2017.

STUDY CRITERIA

Eligible population (pregnant without contraindication to exercise), intervention (frequency, intensity, duration, volume or type of supine exercise), comparator (no exercise or exercise in left lateral rest position, upright posture or other supine exercise), outcomes (potentially adverse effects on maternal blood pressure, cardiac output, heart rate, oxygen saturation, fetal movements, UBF, fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns; adverse events such as bradycardia, low birth weight, intrauterine growth restriction, perinatal mortality and other adverse events as documented by study authors), and study design (except case studies and reviews) published in English, Spanish, French or Portuguese.

RESULTS

Seven studies (n=1759) were included. 'Very low' to 'low' quality evidence from three randomised controlled trials indicated no association between supervised exercise interventions that included supine exercise and low birth weight compared with no exercise. There was 'very low' to 'low' quality evidence from four observational studies that showed no adverse events in the mother; however, there were abnormal FHR patterns (as defined by study authors) in 20 of 65 (31%) fetuses during an acute bout of supine exercise. UBF decreased (13%) when women moved from left lateral rest to acute dynamic supine exercise.

CONCLUSION

There was insufficient evidence to ascertain whether maternal exercise in the supine position is safe or should be avoided during pregnancy.

Physical activity during pregnancy is associated with a lower prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Vietnam

AIMS

To assess the association between physical activity (PA) during pregnancy and the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) accounting for sitting time.

METHODS

The study used data from a cohort study of 2030 pregnant women in Vietnam. Women were recruited from six hospitals in Ha Noi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City. Baseline measurements including PA and GDM were taken at 24-28 weeks of gestation. PA was assessed during the past 3 months before the interview using the interviewer-administered Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. GDM was diagnosed at 24-28 weeks of gestation using the 2013 World Health Organization criteria.

RESULTS

1987 out of 2030 pregnant women were included in the final analysis, of which 432 had GDM (21.7%). Women undertaking the highest level (upper tertile) of PA during pregnancy appeared to have a lower risk of GDM [odds ratio (OR) 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53-0.94, P_trend 0.017] when compared to those at the lowest tertile of PA. Similarly, women with increased levels of moderate-intensive activity and household/caregiving activity during pregnancy were associated with reduced risks of GDM (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50-0.86, P_trend 0.002 and OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.55-0.95, P_trend 0.020, respectively). These apparent inverse associations were not attenuated by their sitting time. There were no significant associations between sitting time, light-intensity activity, vigorous-intensity activity, occupation, sports/exercise, commuting, or meeting exercise guidelines and GDM risk.

CONCLUSIONS

High levels of PA, particularly moderate-intensity and household/caregiving activities during pregnancy were associated with a lower prevalence of GDM independent of sitting time.

Effect of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

AIMS

The present study evaluates association between physical activity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), for it can be an effective intervention for its management. Though physical activity helps maintain glucose homeostasis, evidences of GDM risk are less extensive. Therefore, this study also identifies its correlation with maternal blood glucose levels.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective case-control study was carried out among pregnant women attending regular antenatal clinic at two private hospitals. The study comprised of 100 cases and 273 matched controls. Data was collected by personal interviews using a standard questionnaire. Physical activity was assessed using long form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) reported as Metabolic Equivalent-Minutes per week (MET-Minutes/Week). Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for analysis.

RESULTS

Results shows high exposure rates for low-to-moderate physical activity among cases, across all domains and sub-activities. The odds of GDM engaged in domestic and gardening activities for <2999 MET-minutes per week are 10 times higher than involved for ≥3000 MET-minutes per week (P < 0.001). The study also shows poor or no correlation between physical activity during pregnancy and maternal blood glucose levels.

CONCLUSION

Despite existence of poor or no relationship with maternal blood glucose levels, prolonged sedentary behavior and decreased physical activities, especially domestic, are potential risk factors for GDM, a major finding of the study.

Treatments for women with gestational diabetes mellitus: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

Successful treatments for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have the potential to improve health outcomes for women with GDM and their babies.

OBJECTIVES

To provide a comprehensive synthesis of evidence from Cochrane systematic reviews of the benefits and harms associated with interventions for treating GDM on women and their babies.

METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (5 January 2018) for reviews of treatment/management for women with GDM. Reviews of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes were excluded.Two overview authors independently assessed reviews for inclusion, quality (AMSTAR; ROBIS), quality of evidence (GRADE), and extracted data.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 14 reviews. Of these, 10 provided relevant high-quality and low-risk of bias data (AMSTAR and ROBIS) from 128 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), 27 comparisons, 17,984 women, 16,305 babies, and 1441 children. Evidence ranged from high- to very low-quality (GRADE). Only one effective intervention was found for treating women with GDM.EffectiveLifestyle versus usual careLifestyle intervention versus usual care probably reduces large-for-gestational age (risk ratio (RR) 0.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 0.71; 6 RCTs, N = 2994; GRADE moderate-quality).PromisingNo evidence for any outcome for any comparison could be classified to this category.Ineffective or possibly harmful Lifestyle versus usual careLifestyle intervention versus usual care probably increases the risk of induction of labour (IOL) suggesting possible harm (average RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.46; 4 RCTs, N = 2699; GRADE moderate-quality).Exercise versus controlExercise intervention versus control for return to pre-pregnancy weight suggested ineffectiveness (body mass index, BMI) MD 0.11 kg/m², 95% CI -1.04 to 1.26; 3 RCTs, N = 254; GRADE moderate-quality).Insulin versus oral therapyInsulin intervention versus oral therapy probably increases the risk of IOL suggesting possible harm (RR 1.3, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.75; 3 RCTs, N = 348; GRADE moderate-quality).Probably ineffective or harmful interventionsInsulin versus oral therapyFor insulin compared to oral therapy there is probably an increased risk of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.12; 4 RCTs, N = 1214; GRADE moderate-quality).InconclusiveLifestyle versus usual careThe evidence for childhood adiposity kg/m² (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.11; 3 RCTs, N = 767; GRADE moderate-quality) and hypoglycaemia was inconclusive (average RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.52; 6 RCTs, N = 3000; GRADE moderate-quality).Exercise versus controlThe evidence for caesarean section (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.16; 5 RCTs, N = 316; GRADE moderate quality) and perinatal death or serious morbidity composite was inconclusive (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.12 to 2.61; 2 RCTs, N = 169; GRADE moderate-quality).Insulin versus oral therapyThe evidence for the following outcomes was inconclusive: pre-eclampsia (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.52; 10 RCTs, N = 2060), caesarean section (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.14; 17 RCTs, N = 1988), large-for-gestational age (average RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.35; 13 RCTs, N = 2352), and perinatal death or serious morbidity composite (RR 1.03; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.26; 2 RCTs, N = 760). GRADE assessment was moderate-quality for these outcomes.Insulin versus dietThe evidence for perinatal mortality was inconclusive (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.33; 4 RCTs, N = 1137; GRADE moderate-quality).Insulin versus insulinThe evidence for insulin aspart versus lispro for risk of caesarean section was inconclusive (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.09; 3 RCTs, N = 410; GRADE moderate quality).No conclusions possibleNo conclusions were possible for: lifestyle versus usual care (perineal trauma, postnatal depression, neonatal adiposity, number of antenatal visits/admissions); diet versus control (pre-eclampsia, caesarean section); myo-inositol versus placebo (hypoglycaemia); metformin versus glibenclamide (hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, pregnancy-induced hypertension, death or serious morbidity composite, insulin versus oral therapy (development of type 2 diabetes); intensive management versus routine care (IOL, large-for-gestational age); post- versus pre-prandial glucose monitoring (large-for-gestational age). The evidence ranged from moderate-, low- and very low-quality.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Currently there is insufficient high-quality evidence about the effects on health outcomes of relevance for women with GDM and their babies for many of the comparisons in this overview comparing treatment interventions for women with GDM. Lifestyle changes (including as a minimum healthy eating, physical activity and self-monitoring of blood sugar levels) was the only intervention that showed possible health improvements for women and their babies. Lifestyle interventions may result in fewer babies being large. Conversely, in terms of harms, lifestyle interventions may also increase the number of inductions. Taking insulin was also associated with an increase in hypertensive disorders, when compared to oral therapy. There was very limited information on long-term health and health services costs. Further high-quality research is needed.

Ameliorative potential of acupressure on gestational diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled trial

Background and aim Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) poses a threat to the mother and child. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of acupressure on the glycemic control and insulin requirement of GDM females. Materials and methods Thirty GDM female patients were randomized to either the study group (SG; n=15), which was treated with acupressure and the standard antenatal care, or the control group (CG; n=15), which was treated with the standard antenatal care. Fasting and 2-h post-prandial blood glucose levels, requirement for insulin and insulin resistance were measured at 24 and 36 weeks' gestation (WG). Also, neonatal outcomes were registered at delivery. Results The pre intervention showed no statistically significant differences between SG and CG for baseline characteristics of participants (p>0.05). Within group analyses, after 12 weeks intervention had shown that 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin resistance, number of required insulin and measure of utilized insulin were significantly reduced (p<0.05), with significant increase in body mass index (BMI) (p<0.05) in both groups. All outcome measures were not significantly changed (p>0.05) between both groups at 24 and 36 WG. No significant differences (p>0.05) in pregnancy and neonatal outcomes between both groups at labor. Conclusions Acupressure may help to reduce gestational diabetes or insulin treatment for overweight female patients with GDM.

Leisure-Time Physical Activity in Pregnancy and Maternal-Child Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Cohort Studies

BACKGROUND

Evidence suggests that leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and preterm birth. However, these results are inconsistent when comparing cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of our study was to compare the associations between LTPA in pregnancy and maternal (GDM, preeclampsia, and weight gain during pregnancy) and child health outcomes (preterm birth, birthweight, and fetal growth) between RCTs and cohort studies.

METHODS

We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO up to 31 August 2015. Inclusion criteria for experimental studies required randomized trials with a control group and exposure to a physical activity structured program. The inclusion criteria for cohort studies required information on LTPA during pregnancy as an exposure and at least one maternal-child health outcome. We assessed the methodological quality of all studies and performed a meta-analysis to produce summary estimates of the effects using random models.

RESULTS

We included 30 RCTs and 51 cohort studies. The meta-analysis of RCTs indicated that participation in LTPA was associated with lower weight gain during pregnancy, lower likelihood of GDM, and lower likelihood of delivering a large-for-gestational-age infant. Cohort studies indicated that participation in LTPA was associated with lower weight gain during pregnancy, lower likelihood of GDM, and lower risk of preterm delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the promotion of LTPA in pregnancy as a strategy to improve maternal and child health.

Prevention of obesity and diabetes in pregnancy: is it an impossible dream?

The obesity and diabetes epidemic is an unintended consequence of economic, social, and technological changes. In nonpregnancy, people identified as high risk to develop type 2 diabetes may delay progression by 30-70% with lifestyle interventions and pharmacological agents. In pregnancy, lifestyle interventions have been the primary focus to prevent fetal short- and long-term complications that may evolve into substantial weight gain and gestational diabetes mellitus. The dilemma for obstetricians is whether diabetes and obesity can be prevented and not simply treated after the fact. Interventions after women become pregnant may be too late to see the kinds of meaningful improvements in child and maternal health because there is a short interval from gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosis to delivery. Therefore, future efforts need to incorporate quality research, lifestyle interventions that designate time of initiation and duration during pregnancy, the preventative intervention of a prepregnant "fourth trimester," coupled with the concept of precision medicine so that there is the potential to make the impossible dream a reality.

Alterations in the vitamin D endocrine system during pregnancy: A longitudinal study of 855 healthy Norwegian women

To ensure optimal calcium accrual in the fetal skeleton, a substantial rise occurs in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), but is dependent on sufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin (25(OH)D). Large longitudinal studies addressing free 25(OH)D and 1,25(OH)2D during pregnancy are scarce. We aimed to assess levels of and relationship between 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D, vitamin D-binding protein (DBP), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and free 25(OH)D during pregnancy; determinants of vitamin D status; and association between vitamin D indices or PTH and pregnancy outcomes (gestational diabetes mellitus and birthweight). Altogether 855 pregnant Norwegian Caucasian women from Trondheim and Stavanger (latitude 63°N and 58°N) were recruited; 94 were lost to follow-up. The study was originally a randomized controlled trial (2007-2009) with gestational diabetes as primary outcome. Data were collected in second and third trimester. In third trimester, 246 (34%) had vitamin D insufficiency and 52 (7%) deficiency (25(OH)D <50 and <30nmol/L, respectively). During wintertime in third trimester, 61 (47%) from Trondheim and 23 (51%) from Stavanger exhibited vitamin D insufficiency. PTH was elevated in 27 (3.7%). Estimate of change between trimesters was (95% CI): 25(OH)D -1.8 (-2.8 to -0.7) nmol/L, DBP 0.62 (0.57 to 0.66) μmol/L, calculated free 25(OH)D -1.7 (-2.0 to -1.4) pmol/L, PTH 0.81 (0.72 to 0.90) pmol/L, 1,25(OH)2D (sub-analysis) 31.4 (CI 24.7 to 38.2) pmol/L. A decrease in 1,25(OH)2D occurred in 45% of those with vitamin D deficiency, and they also exhibited lower levels than women with adequate vitamin D status. No association of vitamin D indices and PTH with pregnancy outcomes was observed. Women in Trondheim displayed lower 25(OH)D levels, despite minor latitudinal differences. Less than one-fifth adhered to the authorities' vitamin D recommendations. These findings demonstrate that hypovitaminosis D is prevalent among pregnant women living in northern latitudes, especially during the dark season, and there is an unmet need to ensure adequate vitamin D intake.

A randomized lifestyle intervention preventing gestational diabetes: effects on self-rated health from pregnancy to postpartum

INTRODUCTION

The purpose was to examine the effects of a randomized lifestyle intervention on self-rated health from pregnancy to postpartum in participants at high risk for gestational diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

We included 266 women with a history of gestational diabetes and/or prepregnancy BMI ≥30 kg/m². The intervention group (n = 144) received individualized counseling on diet, physical activity, and weight management from trained nurses at six timepoints between the first trimester of pregnancy and 12 months postpartum, and met three times with a dietitian. The control group (n = 122) received standard antenatal care. We assessed self-rated health at the six timepoints by means of a single question with five response options ranging from good (1) to poor (5). Baseline-adjusted mean changes in self-rated health level were assessed with a mixed model for repeated measure methods.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) for self-rated health at baseline was 1.8 (0.8) in the intervention group and 2.1 (0.9) in the control group (p = 0.006). Self-rated health varied over time (time effect p < 0.001) and was the poorest in the third trimester. The sample indicated that self-rated health improved in the intervention group and deteriorated in the control group from the first trimester to 12 months postpartum, but the difference between the groups did not reach statistical significance (group effect p = 0.064).

DISCUSSION

The self-rated health level varied over time from the first trimester of pregnancy to 12 months postpartum in women at risk for gestational diabetes. Improving self-rated health among high-risk pregnant women through lifestyle intervention calls for further research.

Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women

BACKGROUND

About one-third of women have urinary incontinence and up to one-tenth have faecal incontinence after childbirth. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is commonly recommended during pregnancy and after birth for both prevention and treatment of incontinence.This is an update of a review previously published in 2012.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) in the prevention or treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in pregnant or postnatal women.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Specialised Register (16 February 2017) and reference lists of retrieved studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised or quasi-randomised trials in pregnant or postnatal women. One arm of the trial included PFMT. Another arm was no PFMT, usual antenatal or postnatal care, another control condition, or an alternative PFMT intervention.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias. We extracted data and checked them for accuracy. Populations included: women who were continent (PFMT for prevention), women who were incontinent (PFMT for treatment) at randomisation and a mixed population of women who were one or the other (PFMT for prevention or treatment). We assessed quality of evidence using the GRADE approach.

MAIN RESULTS

The review included 38 trials (17 of which were new for this update) involving 9892 women from 20 countries. Overall, trials were small to moderate sized, and the PFMT programmes and control conditions varied considerably and were often poorly described. Many trials were at moderate to high risk of bias. Other than two reports of pelvic floor pain, trials reported no harmful effects of PFMT.Prevention of urinary incontinence: compared with usual care, continent pregnant women performing antenatal PFMT may have had a lower risk of reporting urinary incontinence in late pregnancy (62% less; risk ratio (RR) for incontinence 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20 to 0.72; 6 trials, 624 women; low-quality evidence). Similarly, antenatal PFMT decreased the risk of urinary incontinence in the mid-postnatal period (more than three to six months' postpartum) (29% less; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.95; 5 trials, 673 women; moderate-quality evidence). There was insufficient information available for the late (more than six to 12 months') postnatal period to determine effects at this time point.Treatment of urinary incontinence: it is uncertain whether antenatal PFMT in incontinent women decreases incontinence in late pregnancy compared to usual care (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44 to 1.13; 3 trials, 345 women; very low-quality evidence). This uncertainty extends into the mid- (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.24; 1 trial, 187 women; very low-quality evidence) and late (RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.93; 2 trials, 869 women; very low-quality evidence) postnatal periods. In postnatal women with persistent urinary incontinence, it was unclear whether PFMT reduced urinary incontinence at more than six to 12 months' postpartum (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.29 to 1.07; 3 trials; 696 women; very low-quality evidence).Mixed prevention and treatment approach to urinary incontinence: antenatal PFMT in women with or without urinary incontinence (mixed population) may decrease urinary incontinence risk in late pregnancy (26% less; RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.90; 9 trials, 3164 women; low-quality evidence) and the mid-postnatal period (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.97; 5 trials, 1921 women; very low-quality evidence). It is uncertain if antenatal PFMT reduces urinary incontinence risk late postpartum (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.14; 2 trials, 244 women; low-quality evidence). For PFMT begun after delivery, there was considerable uncertainty about the effect on urinary incontinence risk in the late postnatal period (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.09; 3 trials, 826 women; very low-quality evidence).Faecal incontinence: six trials reported faecal incontinence outcomes. In postnatal women with persistent faecal incontinence, it was uncertain whether PFMT reduced incontinence in the late postnatal period compared to usual care (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.24 to 1.94; 2 trials; 620 women; very low-quality evidence). In women with or without faecal incontinence (mixed population), antenatal PFMT led to little or no difference in the prevalence of faecal incontinence in late pregnancy (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.25; 2 trials, 867 women; moderate-quality evidence). For postnatal PFMT in a mixed population, there was considerable uncertainty about the effect on faecal incontinence in the late postnatal period (RR 0.73, 95% CI 0.13 to 4.21; 1 trial, 107 women, very low-quality evidence).There was little evidence about effects on urinary or faecal incontinence beyond 12 months' postpartum. There were few incontinence-specific quality of life data and little consensus on how to measure it. We found no data on health economics outcomes.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Targeting continent antenatal women early in pregnancy and offering a structured PFMT programme may prevent the onset of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy and postpartum. However, the cost-effectiveness of this is unknown. Population approaches (recruiting antenatal women regardless of continence status) may have a smaller effect on urinary incontinence, although the reasons for this are unclear. It is uncertain whether a population-based approach for delivering postnatal PFMT is effective in reducing urinary incontinence. Uncertainty surrounds the effects of PFMT as a treatment for urinary incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women, which contrasts with the more established effectiveness in mid-life women.It is possible that the effects of PFMT might be greater with targeted rather than mixed prevention and treatment approaches and in certain groups of women. Hypothetically, for instance, women with a high body mass index are at risk factor for urinary incontinence. Such uncertainties require further testing and data on duration of effect are also needed. The physiological and behavioural aspects of exercise programmes must be described for both PFMT and control groups and how much PFMT women in both groups do, to increase understanding of what works and for whom.Few data exist on faecal incontinence or costs and it is important that both are included in any future trials. It is essential that future trials use valid measures of incontinence-specific quality of life for both urinary and faecal incontinence.

A randomized controlled trial of exercise during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal outcomes: results from the PAMELA study

BACKGROUND

Women are encouraged to be physically active during pregnancy. Despite available evidence supporting antenatal physical activity to bring health benefits for both the mother and child, the most effective way to prevent some maternal and fetal outcomes is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an exercise intervention to prevent negative maternal and newborn health outcomes.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) nested into the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study was carried-out with 639 healthy pregnant women, 213 in the intervention group (IG) and 426 in the control (CG) group. An exercise-based intervention was conducted three times/week for 16 weeks from 16-20 to 32-36 weeks' gestation. The main outcomes were preterm birth and pre-eclampsia. Gestational age was calculated based on several parameters, including routine ultrassounds and/or last menstrual period and categorized as < 37 weeks and ≥ 37 weeks for evaluation of preterm birth. Pre-eclampsia was self-reported. Secondary outcomes were gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, birth weight, infant length, and head circumference. Analyses were performed by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per protocol (70% of the 48 planned exercise sessions). Odds ratio were derived using unconditional logistic regression.

RESULTS

The IG and CG did not differ at baseline regarding their mean age (27.2 years ± 5.3 vs. 27.1 years ± 5.7) and mean pre-pregnancy body mass index (25.1 ± 3.9 vs. 25.2 ± 4.1 kg/m2). The mean adherence to the exercise intervention was 27 ± 17.2 sessions (out of a potential 48) with 40.4% attending > = 70% of the recommended exercise sessions. A total of 594 participants (IG:198; CG: 396) were included in the ITT and 479 (IG: 83; CG: 396) were included in the per protocol analyses. There were no significant differences in the incidence of preterm birth and pre-eclampsia between groups in the ITT and per protocol analysis. There were also no differences between the two groups in mean gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, birth weight, infant length, and head circumference.

CONCLUSIONS

While the RCT did not support the benefits of exercise performed during pregnancy on preeclampsia and preterm birth, the exercise program also did not present adverse impacts on newborn health. Our findings may contribute to promote intervention strategies that motivate health providers to encourage pregnant women to be more physically active.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02148965 , registered on 22 May 2014.

Influence of exercise intervention on gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

Exercise intervention might be a promising approach to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus. However, the results remained controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the effect of exercise intervention on gestational diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of exercise intervention on gestational diabetes mellitus were included. Two investigators independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcome was the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm birth, and gestational age at birth. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model.

RESULTS

Five RCTs involving 1872 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control intervention, exercise intervention was found to significantly reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (std. mean difference 0.62; 95% CI 0.43-0.89; P = 0.01), but demonstrated no influence on preterm birth (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.44-1.99; P = 0.86), gestational age at birth (std. mean difference -0.03; 95% CI -0.12 to 0.07; P = 0.60), glucose 2-h post-OGTT (std. mean difference -1.02; 95% CI -2.75 to 0.71; P = 0.25), birth weight (std. mean difference -0.10; 95% CI -0.25 to 0.04; P = 0.16), Apgar score less than 7 (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.21-2.91; P = 0.71), and preeclampsia (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.53-2.07; P = 0.88).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to control intervention, exercise intervention was found to significantly reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, but had no significant influence on preterm birth, gestational age at birth, glucose 2-h post-OGTT, birth weight, Apgar score less than 7, and preeclampsia.

Effect of exercise during pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Exercise showed some potential in preventing gestational diabetes mellitus. However, the results remained controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the impact of exercise during pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO, and Cochrane library databases were systematically searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the influence of exercise during pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus were included. Two investigators independently searched articles, extracted data, and assessed the quality of included studies. The primary outcome was the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus. Meta-analysis was performed using random-effect model.

RESULTS

Six RCTs involving 2164 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with control intervention, exercise intervention was associated with significantly decreased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (Std. mean difference = 0.59; 95%CI = 0.39-.88; p = .01), but had no effect on gestational age at birth (Std. mean difference = -0.03; 95%CI = -0.12 to 0.07; p = .60), the number of preterm birth (OR = 0.85; 95%CI = 0.43-1.66; p = .63), glucose 2-h post-OGTT (Std. mean difference = -1.02; 95%CI = -2.75 to 0.71; p = .25), birth weight (Std. mean difference = -0.13; 95%CI = -0.26 to 0.01; p = .06), and Apgar score less than 7 (OR = .78; 95%CI = 0.21-2.91; p = .71).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to control intervention, exercise intervention could significantly decrease the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, but showed no impact on gestational age at birth, preterm birth, glucose 2-h post-OGTT, birth weight, and Apgar score less than 7.

A randomized clinical trial of exercise during pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus and improve pregnancy outcome in overweight and obese pregnant women

BACKGROUND

Obesity and being overweight are becoming epidemic, and indeed, the proportion of such women of reproductive age has increased in recent times. Being overweight or obese prior to pregnancy is a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus, and increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome for both mothers and their offspring. Furthermore, the combination of gestational diabetes mellitus with obesity/overweight status may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome attributable to either factor alone. Regular exercise has the potential to reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus and can be used during pregnancy; however, its efficacy remain controversial. At present, most exercise training interventions are implemented on Caucasian women and in the second trimester, and there is a paucity of studies focusing on overweight/obese pregnant women.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to test the efficacy of regular exercise in early pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus in Chinese overweight/obese pregnant women.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a prospective randomized clinical trial in which nonsmoking women age >18 years with a singleton pregnancy who met the criteria for overweight/obese status (body mass index 24≤28 kg/m²) and had an uncomplicated pregnancy at <12⁺⁶ weeks of gestation were randomly allocated to either exercise or a control group. Patients did not have contraindications to physical activity. Patients allocated to the exercise group were assigned to exercise 3 times per week (at least 30 min/session with a rating of perceived exertion between 12-14) via a cycling program begun within 3 days of randomization until 37 weeks of gestation. Those in the control group continued their usual daily activities. Both groups received standard prenatal care, albeit without special dietary recommendations. The primary outcome was incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

From December 2014 through July 2016, 300 singleton women at 10 weeks' gestational age and with a mean prepregnancy body mass index of 26.78 ± 2.75 kg/m² were recruited. They were randomized into an exercise group (n = 150) or a control group (n = 150). In all, 39 (26.0%) and 38 (25.3%) participants were obese in each group, respectively. Women randomized to the exercise group had a significantly lower incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus (22.0% vs 40.6%; P < .001). These women also had significantly less gestational weight gain by 25 gestational weeks (4.08 ± 3.02 vs 5.92 ± 2.58 kg; P < .001) and at the end of pregnancy (8.38 ± 3.65 vs 10.47 ± 3.33 kg; P < .001), and reduced insulin resistance levels (2.92 ± 1.27 vs 3.38 ± 2.00; P = .033) at 25 gestational weeks. Other secondary outcomes, including gestational weight gain between 25-36 gestational weeks (4.55 ± 2.06 vs 4.59 ± 2.31 kg; P = .9), insulin resistance levels at 36 gestational weeks (3.56 ± 1.89 vs 4.07 ± 2.33; P = .1), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (17.0% vs 19.3%; odds ratio, 0.854; 95% confidence interval, 0.434-2.683; P = .6), cesarean delivery (except for scar uterus) (29.5% vs 32.5%; odds ratio, 0.869; 95% confidence interval, 0.494-1.529; P = .6), mean gestational age at birth (39.02 ± 1.29 vs 38.89 ± 1.37 weeks' gestation; P = .5); preterm birth (2.7% vs 4.4%, odds ratio, 0.600; 95% confidence interval, 0.140-2.573; P = .5), macrosomia (defined as birthweight >4000 g) (6.3% vs 9.6%; odds ratio, 0.624; 95% confidence interval, 0.233-1.673; P = .3), and large-for-gestational-age infants (14.3% vs 22.8%; odds ratio, 0.564; 95% confidence interval, 0.284-1.121; P = .1) were also lower in the exercise group compared to the control group, but without significant difference. However, infants born to women following the exercise intervention had a significantly lower birthweight compared with those born to women allocated to the control group (3345.27 ± 397.07 vs 3457.46 ± 446.00 g; P = .049).

CONCLUSION

Cycling exercise initiated early in pregnancy and performed at least 30 minutes, 3 times per week, is associated with a significant reduction in the frequency of gestational diabetes mellitus in overweight/obese pregnant women. And this effect is very relevant to that exercise at the beginning of pregnancy decreases the gestational weight gain before the mid-second trimester. Furthermore, there was no evidence that the exercise prescribed in this study increased the risk of preterm birth or reduced the mean gestational age at birth.

Effect of supervised exercise training during pregnancy on neonatal and maternal outcomes among overweight and obese women. Secondary analyses of the ETIP trial: A randomised controlled trial

Background

Maternal obesity associates with complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Our aim was to investigate if exercise during pregnancy in overweight/obese women could influence birth weight or other neonatal and maternal outcomes at delivery.

Material and methods

This is a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial of exercise training in pregnancy for women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 28 kg/m². Ninety-one women (31.3 ± 4.3 years, BMI 34.5 ± 4.2 kg/m²) were allocated 1:1 to supervised exercise during pregnancy or to standard care. The exercise group was offered three weekly training sessions consisting of 35 minutes of moderate intensity walking/running followed by 25 minutes of strength training. Data from 74 women (exercise 38, control 36) were analysed at delivery.

Results

Birth weight was 3719 ± 695 g in the exercise group and 3912 ± 413 g in the control group (CI -460.96, 74.89, p = 0.16). Birth weight > 4000 g was 35% in the exercise group and 52% in the control group (p = 0.16). Mean gestational age at delivery was 39.1 weeks in the exercise group and 39.5 weeks in the control group (CI -1.33, 0.43, p = 0.31). No significant between-group differences were found in neonatal body size, skinfold thickness, placental weight ratio, or Apgar score. The prevalence of caesarean section was 24% in the exercise group and 17% in the control group (CI 0.20, 2.05, p = 0.57). Mean length of hospital stay was 4.8 days in the exercise group and 4.5 days in the control group (CI -0.45, 1.00, p = 0.45).

Conclusions

Offering supervised exercise during pregnancy for overweight and obese women did not influence birth weight or other neonatal and maternal outcomes at delivery. However our trial was limited by low sample size and poor adherence to the exercise protocol, and further research is needed.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01243554

Antenatal care trial interventions: a systematic scoping review and taxonomy development of care models

BACKGROUND

Antenatal care models vary widely around the world, reflecting local contexts, drivers and resources. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have tested the impact of multi-component antenatal care interventions on service delivery and outcomes in many countries since the 1980s. Some have applied entirely new schemes, while others have modified existing care delivery approaches. Systematic reviews (SRs) indicate that some specific antenatal interventions are more effective than others; however the causal mechanisms leading to better outcomes are poorly understood, limiting implementation and future research. As a first step in identifying what might be making the difference we conducted a scoping review of interventions tested in RCTs in order to establish a taxonomy of antenatal care models.

METHODS

A protocol-driven systematic search was undertaken of databases for RCTs and SRs reporting antenatal care interventions. Results were unrestricted by time or locality, but limited to English language. Key characteristics of both experimental and control interventions in the included trials were mapped using SPIO (Study design; Population; Intervention; Outcomes) criteria and the intervention and principal outcome measures were described. Commonalities and differences between the components that were being tested in each study were identified by consensus, resulting in a comprehensive description of emergent models for antenatal care interventions.

RESULTS

Of 13,050 articles retrieved, we identified 153 eligible articles including 130 RCTs in 34 countries. The interventions tested in these trials varied from the number of visits to the location of care provision, and from the content of care to the professional/lay group providing that care. In most studies neither intervention nor control arm was well described. Our analysis of the identified trials of antenatal care interventions produced the following taxonomy: Universal provision model (for all women irrespective of health state or complications); Restricted 'lower-risk'-based provision model (midwifery-led or reduced/flexible visit approach for healthy women); Augmented provision model (antenatal care as in Universal provision above but augmented by clinical, educational or behavioural intervention); Targeted 'higher-risk'-based provision model (for woman with defined clinical or socio-demographic risk factors). The first category was most commonly tested in low-income countries (i.e. resource-poor settings), particularly in Asia. The other categories were tested around the world. The trials included a range of care providers, including midwives, nurses, doctors, and lay workers.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions can be defined and described in many ways. The intended antenatal care population group proved the simplest and most clinically relevant way of distinguishing trials which might otherwise be categorised together. Since our review excluded non-trial interventions, the taxonomy does not represent antenatal care provision worldwide. It offers a stable and reproducible approach to describing the purpose and content of models of antenatal care which have been tested in a trial. It highlights a lack of reported detail of trial interventions and usual care processes. It provides a baseline for future work to examine and test the salient characteristics of the most effective models, and could also help decision-makers and service planners in planning implementation.

Clinical management of pregnancy in the obese mother: before conception, during pregnancy, and post partum

The global epidemic of obesity has led to an increasing number of obese women of reproductive age. Obesity is associated with reduced fertility, and pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity are associated with adverse outcomes, including increased risk of gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, instrumental and caesarean births, infections, and post-partum haemorrhage. The medical and obstetric management of obese women is focused on identifying, addressing, and preventing some of these associated complications, and is a daunting challenge given the high percentage of patients with obesity and few therapeutic options proven to improve outcomes in this population. The UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that all pregnant women follow a healthy diet, and consider at least half an hour of moderate physical activity per day during pregnancy. However, although obese women are often directed to seek the advice of a nutritionist and to limit gestational weight gain, guidelines for the management of pregnancy and delivery in this high-risk group are lacking. The post-partum period represents an important opportunity to optimise maternal health before the next pregnancy. As many of the physiological changes of pregnancy associated with maternal obesity are present from early pregnancy onward, reducing maternal obesity before conception is probably the best strategy to decrease the health burden associated with maternal obesity.

Windows of Opportunity for Lifestyle Interventions to Prevent Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is linked with several acute maternal health risks and long-term development of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease. Intrauterine exposure to GDM similarly increases offspring risk of early-life health complications and later disease. GDM recurrence is common, affecting 40 to 73% of women, and augments associated maternal/fetal/child health risks. Modifiable and independent risk factors for GDM include maternal excessive gestational weight gain and prepregnancy overweight and obesity. Lifestyle interventions that target diet, activity, and behavioral strategies can effectively modify body weight. Randomized clinical trials testing the effects of lifestyle interventions during pregnancy to reduce excessive gestational weight gain have generally shown mixed effects on reducing GDM incidence. Trials testing the effects of postpartum lifestyle interventions among women with a history of GDM have shown reduced incidence of diabetes and improved cardiovascular disease risk factors. However, the long-term effects of interpregnancy or prepregnancy lifestyle interventions on subsequent GDM remain unknown. Future adequately powered and well-controlled clinical trials are needed to determine the effects of lifestyle interventions to prevent GDM and identify pathways to effectively reach reproductive-aged women across all levels of society, before, during, and after pregnancy.

Interventions for preventing gestational diabetes mellitus: an overview of Cochrane Reviews

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows:

To summarise the evidence from Cochrane systematic Reviews regarding the effects of interventions for preventing gestational diabetes mellitus.

Lifestyle intervention can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

This study aimed to examine the effect of lifestyle intervention on the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We searched PubMed, Springer and other databases to retrieve articles published in English and Chinese up to 30 September 2015. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of lifestyle intervention on risk of GDM. Exclusion criteria were studies with prepregnancy diabetes mellitus or interventions with nutrient supplements. Random-effect and fixed-effect model analyses were used to obtain pooled relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of diet and physical activity on the risk of GDM. Subgroup analyses were performed to check the consistency of effect sizes across groups where appropriate. We identified 29 randomized controlled trials with 11,487 pregnant women, addressing the effect of lifestyle intervention on the risk of GDM. In the pooled analysis, either diet or physical activity resulted in an 18% (95%CI 5-30%) reduction in the risk of GDM (P = 0.0091). Subgroup analysis showed that such intervention was effective among women with intervention before the 15th gestational week (relative risk: 0.80, 95%CI 0.66-0.97), but not among women receiving the intervention afterwards. We conclude that lifestyle modification during pregnancy, especially before the 15th gestational week, can reduce the risk of GDM. © 2016 World Obesity.

Physical activity and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of epidemiological studies

Physical activity has been inconsistently associated with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in epidemiological studies, and questions remain about the strength and shape of the dose-response relationship between the two. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and randomized trials on physical activity and gestational diabetes mellitus. PubMed, Embase and Ovid databases were searched for cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials of physical activity and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, up to August 5th 2015. Summary relative risks (RRs) were estimated using a random effects model. Twenty-five studies (26 publications) were included. For total physical activity the summary RR for high versus low activity was 0.62 (95 % CI 0.41-0.94, I2 = 0 %, n = 4) before pregnancy, and 0.66 (95 % CI 0.36-1.21, I2 = 0 %, n = 3) during pregnancy. For leisure-time physical activity the respective summary RRs for high versus low activity was 0.78 (95 % CI 0.61-1.00, I2 = 47 %, n = 8) before pregnancy, and it was 0.80 (95 % CI 0.64-1.00, I2 = 17 %, n = 17) during pregnancy. The summary RR for pre-pregnancy activity was 0.70 (95 % CI 0.49-1.01, I2 = 72.6 %, n = 3) per increment of 5 h/week and for activity during pregnancy was 0.98 (95 % CI 0.87-1.09, I2 = 0 %, n = 3) per 5 h/week. There was evidence of a nonlinear association between physical activity before pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, pnonlinearity = 0.005, with a slightly steeper association at lower levels of activity although further reductions in risk were observed up to 10 h/week. There was also evidence of nonlinearity for physical activity in early pregnancy, pnonlinearity = 0.008, with no further reduction in risk above 8 h/week. There was some indication of inverse associations between walking (before and during pregnancy) and vigorous activity (before pregnancy) and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. This meta-analysis suggests that there is a significant inverse association between physical activity before pregnancy and in early pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Further studies are needed to clarify the association between specific types and intensities of activity and gestational diabetes mellitus.