Prenatal exercise may lower gestational diabetes risk, but not pregnancy weight gain
Punto clave:
In overweight or obese pregnant women, supervised exercise did not reduce gestational weight gain, but it may have lowered gestational diabetes incidence and late-pregnancy systolic blood pressure.
Estudio de un vistazo
Qué se estudió
Supervised prenatal endurance and strength exercise in pregnant women with overweight or obesity
Tipo de estudio
Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)
duration
Medium-Term (3–12 mo)
Intervención
Exercise therapy
Resultados
Pregnancy weight gain, Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence, Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure
Financiamiento
No financiado por la industria
mainEffects
Gestational weight gain ↔ no clear difference between groups
Gestational diabetes incidence ↓ in the exercise group
Systolic blood pressure ↓ in late pregnancy with exercise
Evidence Summary
| Intervention | Outcome | Measured Change | Study Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
 Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) |  Diastolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health) | Uncertain | Limited |
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) |  Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence (Clinical Outcomes) | Decrease | Limited |
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) |  Pregnancy weight gain (Weight & Anthropometrics) | Uncertain | Limited |
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity) | Systolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health) | Decrease | Strong |
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Evidence Suggest
- The main endpoint, gestational weight gain, was similar in the exercise and control groups.
- Gestational diabetes was reported less often in the exercise group than in standard care.
- Late-pregnancy systolic blood pressure was lower in women assigned to exercise training.
Who this applies to
This study applies most directly to pregnant women with prepregnancy overweight or obesity receiving routine maternity care. It is most relevant to women starting pregnancy without known gestational diabetes but at elevated metabolic risk.
Keep in Mind
The strongest conclusion from this trial is that supervised exercise did not clearly reduce gestational weight gain. The more encouraging findings involved secondary outcomes, especially gestational diabetes incidence and systolic blood pressure. Because the trial was smaller than planned and adherence was only moderate, those benefits may be real but remain less certain than they would be in a larger, better-powered study.
Between the Lines
- The study recruited fewer women than planned.
- Adherence to the exercise program was modest.
- Positive findings were mainly in secondary outcomes.
- The exercise intervention could not be blinded.
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Referencia de la Revista
Garnæs KK, Mørkved S, Salvesen Ø, Moholdt T. Exercise Training and Weight Gain in Obese Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial (ETIP Trial). PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002079. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002079
Sources
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Key References
Most relevant evidence and guidance related to this research.
ADA Standards of Care - Gestational Diabetes Management 2024
Physical Activity/Exercise and Diabetes: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association
Joslin Diabetes Center: Nutrition and Gestational Diabetes
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