The Effect of Exercise on Postpartum Women’s Quality of Life: A Systematic Review (original) (raw)
Related papers
Health, 2013
Background and Objective: There is controversy on the psychological effects of postpartum exercise. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a postpartum exercise program on healthrelated quality of life and psychological wellbeing. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Tokyo, Japan. The intervention groups participated in ball-exercise classes (weekly exercise of 90 minutes for four weeks) at three months postpartum. The exercise class included the following: 1) greeting and warm-up; 2) aerobic exercise involving bouncing on an exercise ball 55 or 65 cm in diameter; 3) rest and selfintroduction; 4) stretching and cooling down. The primary outcome measure was health-related Quality of Life (QOL) assessed using the MOS Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36v2). The secondary outcome measures were Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores. The intervention group was compared to the control group at four months postpartum. Results: Of the 120 women screened, 110 women met the study criteria. Nine could not be included and the remaining 101 were allocated randomly into intervention and control groups (50 and 51 participants respectively). Analysis of covariance adjusting for baseline values indicated that the SF36 subscales of physical functioning (p = 0.018) and vitality (p = 0.016) significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group, although there were no significant differences between the groups in the SF36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores. The RSES increased in the intervention group (p = 0.020) compared to the control group. No significant group differences were observed in EPDS scores. Conclusions: The postpartum exercise class program provided to healthy postpartum women appears to have contributed to promoting health-related QOL and self-esteem.
BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2024
Postpartum physical activity is a public health issue. Reporting on the quality of exercise interventions designs must be ensured in view of the reproducibility and successful implementation of such studies. The objective was to develop and preliminary validate a physical exercise program for postpartum recovery, aiming to promote physical fitness and health of the new mothers. The study was carried out through the three stages of development, piloting, and evaluation. The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was used to describe the postpartum exercise program. The Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in Healthcare (CReDECI2) was followed to develop and preliminary validate the program. A tailored postpartum exercise program was developed based on evidence-based international recommendations to be implemented by qualified exercise professionals. A pilot intervention of 16 weeks was carried out, engaging a group of postpartum women. The viability of the program was subsequently evaluated by all participants. The present work provided guidance to develop a study protocol with a larger sample in order to prove the effectiveness of a supervised postpartum exercise program on selected parameters of health.
Research Square (Research Square), 2023
Postnatal physical activity is a public health issue. Reporting on the quality of exercise interventions designs must be ensured in view of the reproducibility and successful implementation of such studies. The objective was to develop and validate a physical exercise program for postpartum recovery, aiming to promoting physical tness and health of the new mothers. A qualitative pilot study was carried out through the three stages of development, piloting, and evaluation. The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was used to describe the postpartum exercise program. The Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in Healthcare (CReDECI2) was followed to validate the program. A tailored postpartum exercise program was designed and validated based on evidence-based international recommendations to be implemented by quali ed exercise professionals. A pilot intervention of 16 weeks was carried out, engaging a group of postpartum women. The viability of the program was subsequently evaluated by all participants. The presented intervention can assist exercise specialists, health professionals and researchers in the planning, promoting, and implementation of an exercise program for postpartum recovery. Background Regarding the effects of physical activity on maternal health during pregnancy and postpartum, the public health importance of increasing physical activity in women of childbearing age before, during, and after pregnancy is substantial [1]. In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued, for the rst time, guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior for women during pregnancy and the postpartum period, reinforcing the need for national policies to include and monitor these subpopulations [2]. Exercise is a simple, low-cost intervention that can play an important role in health and well-being during the postpartum period [3]. Speci c programs for this stage of life can increase physical activity and consequently, potentially improve women's health and tness, as shown in the umbrella review by Dipietro et al. [1]. Since 2019, updated international guidelines for exercise during pregnancy and postpartum from Canada [4], USA [5], Brazil [6], and Australia [7] have been published. However, these guidelines lack speci c postpartum contents, and only one consensus paper supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) addresses exercise and postpartum in recreational and elite athletes [8]. Clear guidance and reporting of exercise interventions is critical for interpreting and translating research into clinical practice. Nevertheless, the available o cial guidelines lack structured methodologies to design and implement effective and safe exercise programs [9, 10]. Therefore, it is important to know more precise information about the type of exercise, intensity and frequency, in order to fully understand the intervention and how to replicate it. The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) by Slade et al. [11] is a tool used to describe the components of interventions based on exercise programs. The Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in healthcare (CReDECI2) by Möhler et al. [12], allows describing all the relevant methodological aspects related to the process of research and development, piloting and evaluation of a complex intervention, which can be applied to exercise programs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop and validate a physical exercise program "ACTIVE MUMS", speci c for postpartum recovery that aims to promote maternal health and physical tness, helping women to resume an active and healthy lifestyle after giving birth. Methods Study Design Qualitative study for the development and validation of an exercise program for postpartum recovery as a complex intervention. Participants Seventeen participants were involved in the validation process, six specialists in physical exercise with a doctorate, master's or degree in exercise/sports science and 11 women who were in the postpartum period, who participated in the pilot intervention. Instruments The Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template (CERT) was followed to describe the postpartum exercise program [11], and the Criteria for Reporting the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions in healthcare (CReDECI 2) was followed to develop and validate it [12]. Procedures regarding the development of the postpartum exercise program The exercise program was designed through three stages proposed by the CERT and the CReDECI guidelines: development, piloting and evaluation. The postpartum physical exercise program was developed by exercise specialists. The periodized training plan includes a variety of exercises to promote cardiorespiratory tness, posture, strength, exibility, balance, abdominal recovery, and pelvic oor muscle training. Procedures regarding the piloting and evaluation of the postpartum exercise program The dissemination process, recruitment of the target population and implementation of the pilot study in a training studio were planned. An in-person or online pilot intervention of 48 sessions over 16 weeks was developed between October 2021 and June 2022, in Leiria, Portugal. The pilot exercise intervention was delivered by an exercise physiologist. All women in the postpartum period (4-12 weeks) received a medical consultation by a gynecologist before being included in the pilot intervention. The inclusion criteria were: women in the (4-12 weeks) postpartum period, aged between 18 and 45 years old, without medical contraindications for the practice of physical exercise. Exclusion criteria were: any medical contraindications for physical exercise.
A randomized clinical trial of exercise to alleviate postpartum depressed mood
Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2009
Objective. To evaluate whether a 12-week home-based exercise program is more effective than usual care for alleviating depressive symptomology in the postpartum. Methods. Eighty-eight women experiencing postpartum depressed mood were randomly assigned to a 12-week home-based exercise program or usual care. Outcomes assessed immediately post-treatment and 3-months post-treatment were the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Results. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the effect of the intervention on EPDS did not change from 3 to 6 months evaluations, but was modified by the baseline EPDS score, with subjects with greater depression at baseline (EPDS 4 13) in the intervention group having a significantly lower postbaseline EPDS score compared with the usual care group (mean difference 4.06 points, 95%CI 1.51-6.61, p 5 0.001). After adjusting for baseline HAM-D, subjects in the intervention group had a significantly lower HAM-D score at post-treatment compared with subjects in the usual care group (mean difference 1.83 points, 95%CI 0.24-3.41, p ¼ 0.02). The difference in HAM-D became non-significant at 3-months posttreatment. Conclusions. Home-based exercise is a feasible nonpharmacological intervention with the potential to alleviate postpartum depressive symptoms, especially in women with higher initial depressed mood scores as measured by the EPDS. These findings may guide the design of future exercise clinical trials with postpartum depressed women.
Postpartum Recovery: A Comprehensive Approach to Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Mental Health
Postpartum Recovery: A Comprehensive Approach to Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Mental Health, 2023
the postpartum period is a critical time for women to recover physically, emotionally, and mentally after childbirth. This period lasts for six months and requires a special regimen to promote the involution of the uterus, healing of lesions, and normalization of other bodily functions. Physical activity after childbirth is crucial for women to recover effectively during the postpartum period, but it should be approached with caution and a proper plan in place. The organization of health-improving physical culture for women in the postpartum period is divided into three stages: a gentle stage, a restorative phase, and a training phase. Adequate rest and proper nutrition are equally important during this time. Overall, a multifaceted approach that incorporates physical activity, proper nutrition, rest, and mental health support is essential for women to recover fully after childbirth.
Effects of Exercise during Pregnancy on Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses
Biology
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a public health issue. Exercise is a nonpharmacologic alternative to deal with PPD. This study conducted a systematic review of previous meta-analyses and an exploratory pooled analysis regarding the effects of exercise on depressive symptoms among women during the postpartum period. We searched for previous meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials on PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus, date of inception to 31 May 2021. The methodological quality was assessed using the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR2) instrument. We pooled the standardised mean differences from the selected studies. Of the 52 records screened, five were included. The results revealed a significant moderate effect of exercise on depressive symptoms among women during the postpartum period (SMD = −0.53; 95% CI: −0.80 to −0.27, p < 0.001). The pooled effect of the five meta-analyses established that exercise had a significant, small effect on depressive symptom...
Effects of Postpartum Exercise Program on Fatigue and Depression During “Doing-the-Month” Period
Journal of Nursing Research, 2008
This study explored the effectiveness of an exercise program on reducing levels of fatigue and depression among postpartum women who were "doing-the-month" in a maternity center in Taiwan. Previous studies related to postpartum have focused on depression rather than women's feelings of fatigue, and no study related to exercise has previously been conducted in a Taiwan maternity center. A low-intensity exercise program was specifically designed and administered to 31 subjects in the study's intervention group. Another 30 subjects (the control group) followed a traditional, non-physically active postpartum care regimen. Those in the intervention group were required to participate in at least 6 exercise program sessions during their one month postpartum stay. All subjects were asked to fill out a fatigue and depression questionnaire before and after the program. A Fatigue Symptom Checklist (FSC) was used to measure fatigue, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) was used to confirm the development of depression. Results showed statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of fatigue levels, with statistical improvements (p < .05) registered by the intervention group in terms of levels of physical and psychological fatigue and fatigue symptoms. However, no significant changes in depression between the two groups were found. Study results demonstrate that a low-intensity exercise program can offer a good platform for clinicians and researchers to help reduce fatigue in postpartum women.
Pilot Study on an Integrated Pilates and Yoga Program for Decreasing Postpartum Depression in Women
Open Journal of Nursing, 2015
Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 10-week exercise intervention in reducing depression and fatigue in women with postpartum depression. Design: A one-group pretest/ posttest quasi-experiment was conducted. Setting: A postpartum ward in a medical center in Taipei city was used. Participants: Nineteen women at 7-12 weeks postpartum with an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥ 9 were recruited. Methods: The women participated in a postpartum exercise support program 1 hour per week for 10 weeks. The program was led by a professional coach; it integrated yoga, Pilates, elastic band exercise, low-intensity aerobics, and motherhood role experience sharing. Results: After the postpartum exercise support program intervention, depression scores decreased from 10.4 ± 3.29 to 7.80 ± 2.73 (t = 3.632, P = 0.003); fatigue scores decreased from 8.73 ± 5.02 to 5.40 ± 3.89 (t = 2.988, P = 0.010). Conclusion: PESP administered to women with postpartum depression appeared to benefit their psychological wellbeing.
Physical Activity and Postpartum Well-Being
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, <html_ent glyph="@amp;" ascii="&"/> Neonatal Nursing, 1999
= Objective: To describe reported patterns of postpartum physical activity and to identify benefits or risks associated with postpartum physical activity at 6 weeks postpartum.
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2021
Background Approximately 13–19% of postpartum women experience postpartum depression and a majority report at least some stress during the postpartum phase. Traditional interventions such as psychotherapy and antidepressant medications are often not feasible or desirable. The purpose of this study was to examine two low cost, brief, accessible interventions designed to prevent postpartum depression and perceived stress among women at high risk. Methods Participants (n = 450) who were on average four weeks postpartum, had a history of depression before pregnancy, and exercised less than 60 min per week were randomly assigned to one of the following three conditions: (1) 6-month telephone-based exercise intervention; (2) 6-month telephone-based wellness/support intervention (e.g., healthy eating, sleep, and perceived stress); or (3) usual care. Results Overall, 2.4% of participants met criteria for depression at 6 months and 3.6% at 9 months with no differences between groups. At 6 mo...