Effects of aerobic exercise performed during pregnancy on hypertension and gestational diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational hypertension (GH) are the most common pregnancy complications, predisposing to adverse pregnancy outcomes and being a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, often associated with significantly higher health risks for the mother and her offspring. The aim of this study was to systematically evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise performed during pregnancy on GDM, GH, and pregnancy outcomes.

The databases PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, China Knowledge Network, Wan fang, and Wipu were searched for clinical randomized controlled trials of exercise interventions on GDM, GH, and pregnancy outcomes, and data were analyzed and systematically evaluated using RevMan 5.3 according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Meta-analysis showed that, in terms of pregnancy complications, aerobic exercise intervention reduced the incidence of maternal GDM better than the control group, with a statistically significant difference (OR=0.39, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.50, P<0.00001); aerobic exercise intervention reduced the incidence of maternal GH better than the control group, with a statistically significant difference (OR=0.38, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.54, P<0.00001).

The results in pregnancy suggest that aerobic exercise is advantageous for pregnant women, as it reduces the incidence of GDM and GH and improves the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes to a certain extent.