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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.