Table 3.
Effects of exercise on fertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
| Investigator, year | Participants | Study design | Intervention and PA assessment | Control group | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark et al. (13), 1998 | 87 treatment-seeking obese women with PCOS | A nonrandomized controlled trial | 1-h low-impact group exercise session weekly plus 2 additional sessions alone encouraged, for 6 mo Weekly information sessions about healthy eating |
Participants who dropped out of the study prematurely (n = 20/87) | Increased ovulation (90% vs. 0) and live birth rate (67% vs. 0) in completers vs. drop-outs |
| Nybacka et al. (16), 2011 | 43 overweight or obese women with PCOS, aged 18–40 y | Randomized parallel design | A 4-mo exercise program with a physical therapist—content, and frequency tailored to patient preference, with or without dietary management | 4 mo of dietary management (600 kcal/d caloric reduction) | 69% of participants demonstrated improved menstruation, and 35% demonstrated ovulation. All 3 groups (diet, exercise, and both) exhibited similar improvements, despite the diet-only group showing the greatest reduction in free testosterone |
| Palomba et al. (14), 2008 | 40 obese, infertile, and anovulatory patients with PCOS were referred for treatment | Nonrandomized controlled trial (participants chose the desired condition) | 24 wk of aerobic exercise on a stationary cycle for 30 min, 3 d/wk. Target intensity 60%–70% VO2 max | A hypocaloric and hyperproteic diet for 24 wk | Higher rate of ovulation (65% vs. 25%) and spontaneous pregnancy (35% vs. 10%) in the exercise group compared with the diet group |
| Thomson et al. (17), 2008 | 154 sedentary and overweight or obese women with PCOS, aged 18–41 y | Randomized parallel design | 20 wk of either DO, DA (5 weekly sessions of 45-min jogging at 60%–80% HRmax), or DC (3 weekly jogging sessions plus 2 resistance training sessions) | The comparison group was diet-only (hyperproteic and hypocaloric) or diet and aerobic plus resistance | Cardiometabolic parameters improved similarly across all 3 groups, as did FAI. DA + DC lost more weight than DO. DA had a greater number of ovulatory cycles than DO (3.1 vs. 1.3), with DC being in between, with 2.7 ovulatory cycles |
Note: DA = dieting and aerobic exercise; DC = diet and combined aerobic and resistance exercise; DO = dieting; HRmax = maximum heart rate; FAI = free androgen index; PA = physical activity; PCOS = polycystic ovary syndrome; VO2 max = maximal oxygen consumption.