Table 3 Study characteristics

1

[35]

456 pregnant women

EG 31.75 (4.68)

CG 31.04 (3.78)

Moderate aerobic exercise performed three days per week (50–55 min per session) for 8–10 weeks to 38–39 weeks of gestation

The prevalence of gestational diabetes was significantly higher in the control group (p = 0.033)

Total maternal weight gain (kg) and excessive gestational weight gain

Maternal gestational age at delivery, type of delivery and birth weight

2

[36]

20 pregnant women with low back pain between 19 and 29 weeks of gestation

Stabilization group

30(6) Stretching group 29(6)

(1) Lumbar stabilization exercise

(2) Stretching exercise

Both interventions showed significant improvement in postural stability the velocity sway parameter, and significantly increased activation (p > 0.05) of the external abdominal oblique muscle after intervention

Pain, disabilities, postural control and muscle activation

–

3

[37]

639 pregnant women between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation

IG 27.2 (5.5)

IG Missing 26.0 (4.9)

CG 27.3 (5.5)

CG Missing 25.8 (5.8)

16-week supervised exercise program including aerobic and resistance training delivered in 60-min sessions 3 times per week

There was no significant difference for postpartum depression between groups

Preterm birth and preeclampsia

Maternal and child health outcomes

4

[3]

436 pregnant women at < 20 weeks of gestation

UC 31.8 (5.6)

HE + PA 31.9 (5.3)

HE 32.5 (5.5)

PA 31.7 (5.1)

5 face-to-face and ≤ 4 telephone coaching sessions using the principles of motivational interviewing

In the intervention group, women achieved less gestational weight gain. No improvements were seen in fasting or post load glucose levels or insulin concentrations

Gestational weight gain and homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance at 24–28 weeks

Physical activity, nutrition, glucose concentrations 1 and 2 h after glucose ingestion, fasting insulin concentrations, insulin levels at 1 and 2 h after glucose ingestion, GDM, birth weight, gestational age, and small-for-gestational age (SGA) or large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants

5

[38]

129 pregnant women from 20 to 37 week of pregnancy

EG 32.12 (4.43)

CG 30.58 (4.75)

The SWEP (study of water exercise during pregnancy) method

The health-related quality of life score decreased significantly between weeks 12 and 35 of gestation, except for the mental health component

Quality of life

–

6

[13]

594 pregnant women

EG 27.2 (5.3)

CG 27.1 (5.7)

The exercise-based intervention conducted three times/week for 16 weeks from 16–20 to 32–36 weeks' gestation

There were no significant differences in the incidence of preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, birth weight, infant length, and head circumference between groups

Preterm birth and pre-eclampsia

Gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), birth weight, small and large-for-gestational age, infant length, and head circumference

7

[39]

645 pregnant women

Lifestyle Advice 31.60 (4.63)

Standard Care 31.45 (4.63)

An intervention consisting of six sessions (three face-to-face, two provided by the dietitian after trial entry and at 28 weeks’ gestation, one provided by a research assistant at 36 weeks’ gestation); three telephone calls at 20-, 24- and 32-weeks’ gestation

There was no statistically significant difference in the proportion of infants with birth weight above 4.0 kg between groups (p = 0.732)

Proportion of infants with birth weight > 4 kg

Preterm birth; perinatal mortality; infant birth weight; hypoglycaemia; admission to neonatal intensive care unit or special care baby unit; hyperbilirubinaemia; nerve palsy; fracture; birth trauma; shoulder dystocia; corticosteroid use; respiratory distress syndrome; discharge home on oxygen; patent ductus arteriosus; proven systemic infection; retinopathy of prematurity; necrotising enterocolitis; neonatal encephalopathy; seizures; length of hospital stay; and infant not exclusively breast fed at hospital discharge

8

[40]

120 pregnant women

31.8 (5)

A supervised physical conditioning program consisting of three 60-min sessions per week for the whole duration of pregnancy (weeks 9–38)

No differences were found between the groups in maternal weight. The proportion of women with weight loss ≥ 9 kg at 6 weeks postpartum was higher in the exercise compared with the control group (p = 0.02). The ductus arteriosus pulsatility index at 20 weeks (p < 0.05) and the ejection fraction at 36 weeks (p < 0.05) were higher in the exercise compared with the control group

Maternal weight gain during pregnancy

Fetal cardiac function parameters evaluated at 20, 28 and 36 weeks' gestation, Cesarean section, preterm delivery, induction of labor and birth weight

9

[41]

33 pregnant women

IG 28.4 (3.62)

CG 28.8 (4.67)

Nerve and tendon-slip exercise

There were no significant differences between the groups in symptoms and clinical tests (p > 0.05). Patients receiving treatment showed a decrease in symptom severity and functional capacity, but only the former showed a significant decrease in group 2 (p > 0.05)

Effectiveness of home exercise in pregnant women with carpal tunnel syndrome

–

10

[42]

134 pregnant women in second trimester

Resistance Exercise 28 (5)

Pregnancy Education 29 (4)

Wait List 29 (4)

12 weeks of wait list, education classes, or twice weekly low-to-moderate intensity resistance training

Scores were unchanged after resistance training but significantly decreased for the education (p = 0.001) and wait list (p < 0.001) groups, whereas post-test vitality scores for the pregnancy group were significantly higher than the wait list (p = 0.05) but not the education group (p = 0.27)

Fatigue-related domains of quality of life and mood

–

11

[43]

91 pregnant women

IG 31.3 (3.8)

CG 31.4 (4.7)

3 weekly supervised exercise sessions (35 min of moderate intensity walking/running and 25 min of resistance training), until delivery

There was no between-group difference in depression (p = 0.55)

Psychological wellbeing

Postpartum depression

12

[44]

516 pregnant women

IG 31.4 (4.3)

CG 30.6 (4.1)

Unsupervised water exercise twice a week for a period of 12 weeks

Low back pain intensity was significantly lower in the water exercise group (p = 0.04). More women in the water exercise group reported no low back pain at 32 weeks (p = 0.07)

Low back pain intensity

Days spent on sick leave, disability due to low back pain and general health

13

[4]

435 pregnant women

Usual Care 31.8 (5.6)

HE + PA 31.9 (5.3)

HE 32.5 (5.5)

PA 31.7 (5.1)

Healthy eating and PA promotion intervention, a healthy eating promotion intervention, or a PA promotion intervention

Between-group total cost and effect differences were not significant, besides significantly less gestational weight gain

Gestational weight gain, fasting glucose, insulin resistance, quality adjusted life years, and societal costs

–

14

[45]

724 pregnant women

IG 30.5 (4.4)

CG 30.4 (4.3)

12-week standardized exercise program, including both aerobic and strength training (20–36 weeks′ gestation)

No between-group difference in serum 25(OH)D and related parameters was identified

Gestational diabetes

Effects on parathyroid hormone, total and corrected calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and Vitamin D-binding protein

15

[46]

241 pregnant women (n = 122)

IG 31.6 (3.9)

CG 31.3 (4.3)

Exercise program (walking goal of 10,000 steps/day)

The intervention group achieved higher protein intake and healthy diet scores (p < 0.005) but step counts were similar averaging 6335 steps/day. Pregnancy and infant outcomes were similar between groups

Proportion of women who achieved gestational weight gain

–

16

[47]

639 pregnant women

IG 27.7 (5.6)

CG 27.7 (5.7)

16-week exercise program starting between the 16th and 20th weeks of gestation, 3 times a week, lasting 60 min per session

Children from women in the exercise group had higher language score at age 2 years and higher cognitive score (standardized at age 4 years. No effects of exercise during pregnancy were observed in the motor domain at 1, 2, and 4 years

Preterm birth and preeclampsia

–

17

[48]

150 pregnant women

IG 32.4 (5.4)

CG 33.4 (4.7)

10,000 steps a day, equivalent to 30 min per day of moderate physical activity over the week (≥ 5 days)

During the 35 and 37 gestational weeks, women in the intervention group had higher mean PA than women in the control group (p = 0.01)

Maternal and perinatal outcomes

–

18

[49]

90 pregnant women

IG 29.46 (5.78)

CG 28.94 (5.33)

Virtual group in a social network (What's app) received individually diets and materials about that how to track its effect on their weight gain during pregnancy

There was a statistically significant difference at the end of intervention in the level of daily physical activity (p < 0.001)

Amount of changes in the mean daily total physical activity level

Measuring the level of changes in other subgroups of daily physical activity alongside with the level of weight gain during pregnancy

19

[50]

305 pregnant women

6-month digital lifestyle intervention (the HealthyMoms app)

Digital lifestyle intervention is effective in promotion of healthy dietary habits in women representing all BMI-categories and decrease weight gain during pregnancy in women with overweight and obesity without compromising offspring growth

Healthy weight gain, diet, and physical activity

Body fatness, dietary habits, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, glycemia, and insulin resistance

20

[51]

54 pregnant women n 20 to 26 weeks of gestation

Water Exercise in Pregnancy program

Level of discomfort and musculoskeletal complications in the intervention group was significantly reduced compared to the control group (p < 0.001)

Musculoskeletal pain

–