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. 2023 Aug 21;12(16):5421. doi: 10.3390/jcm12165421

Table 1.

Characteristics of the studies analyzed.

Author Year Country Type N EG CG Intervention Physical Exercise Program Main Variables Analyzed Secondary Variables Analyzed
Freq Intensity Duration of Program Type of Exercise Superv. Class Duration of Class Adh.
Aktan [24] 2021 Turkey RCT 43 21 22 2 Mod 8 w Clinical Pilates exercise Yes 60 min - General anxiety, gestational weight gain Type of delivery, birth weight
Atkinson [25] 2022 Canada RTC 241 119 122 3–4 Mod 22 w Walking No 25–40 min 80% Gestational weight gain Depression, type of delivery, and birth weight
Babbar [26] 2016 USA RCT 46 23 23 3 Mod 8 w Yoga Yes 60 min 80% Umbilical artery, type of delivery, birth weight Gestational weight gain
Bacchi [27] 2018 Argentina RTC 111 49 62 3 Low–Mod 28 w Aquatic activities Yes 55–60 min 80% Gestational weight gain and birth weight -
Backhausen [28] 2017 Denmark RCT 516 258 258 2 Low 12 w Water exercise No 70 min 76% Low back pain, birth weight Type of delivery
Barakat [29] 2012 Spain RCT 290 138 152 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic exercise Yes 40–45 min - Type of delivery Gestational weight gain and birth weight
Barakat [30] 2013 Spain RCT 510 255 255 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercise Yes 50–55 min 95% Gestational diabetes Gestational weight gain and birth weight
Barakat [31] 2016 Spain RCT 765 382 383 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercise Yes 50–55 min 80% Hypertension Type of delivery, gestational weight gain, birth weight
Barakat [32] 2018a Spain RCT 429 227 202 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic exercise Yes 55–60 min 80% Duration of labor Type of delivery,
use of epidural, birth weight
Barakat [33] 2018b Spain RCT 65 33 32 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic, pelvic floor strength, and flexibility exercise Yes 55–60 min 85% Placenta weight Gestational age, type of delivery, birth weight
Barakat [34] 2018c Spain RCT 456 234 222 3 Mod 28 w Aerobic exercise Yes 50–55 min 80% Gestational weight gain Gestational age, type of delivery, birth weight
Bhartia [35] 2019 India RCT 78 38 40 1 Mod 12 w Yoga Yes 50 min - Maternal stress, type of delivery, birth weight -
2 No
Bjøntegaard [36] 2021 Norway RCT 281 164 117 1 Mod 12 w Aerobic, strength, and balance exercise Yes 60 min - Type of delivery, birth weight Physical activity of children at age of seven
2 No 45 min
Brik [37] 2019 Spain RTC 85 42 43 3 55–60% Max HR 29 w Aerobic, strength, coordination and balance, and pelvic floor exercise Yes 60 min 70% Gestational weight gain, fetal cardiac function Type of delivery, birth weight, gestational age
Bruno [38] 2016 Italy RTC 131 69 62 3 Mod 16 w Walking, dietary counselling No 30 min - Gestational diabetes Gestational weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight
Clark [39] 2018 USA RTC 36 14 22 3 Mod 20 w Aerobic Yes 60 min - Gestational weight gain Type of delivery, birth weight
Cordero [40] 2015 Spain RCT 257 101 156 2 50–55% Max HR 26 w Aerobics in gym hall Yes 50–60 min 80% Gestational diabetes Gestational weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight
1 Aquatic activity
Da Silva [41] 2017 Brazil RTC 639 213 426 3 Mod 16 w Aerobic, strength training Yes 60 min 70% Preterm birth and pre-eclampsia Gestational weight gain, birth weight
Daly [42] 2017 Ireland RCT 88 44 44 3 Mod 26 w Aerobic, pelvic floor exercise Yes 50–60 min 80% Maternal fasting plasma glucose Type of delivery
and birth weight
De Oliveria [43] 2012 Brazil RTC 111 54 57 3 60–80% Max HR 25 w Walking Yes 15–40 min 85% VO2max, birth weight and gestational age -
Ellingsen [44] 2020 Norway RTC 279 164 115 1 Mod 12 w Aerobic activity and strength exercise Yes 60 min - Neurodevelopment in 7-year-old children Gestational age, birth
weight, type of delivery
2 No 45 min
Fritel [45] 2015 France RCT 282 140 142 1 Low 8 w Pelvic floor training Yes 20–30 min - Urinary incontinence Type of delivery and birth weight
Garnaes [46] 2017 Norway RCT 74 38 36 3 Mod 20 w Aerobic, strength training Yes 60 min - Birth weight Type of delivery, perineal tears, gestational age
2 - No 50 min
7 Pelvic floor training No 1 min
Guelfi [47] 2016 Australia
 RCT 172 85 87 3 Mod 14 w Home-based stationary cycling program Yes 20–60 min - Gestational diabetes Type of delivery, birth weight
Haakstad [48] 2011 Norway RCT 105 52 53 2 Mod 12 w Aerobic dance and strength training Yes 60 min 80% Birth weight Gestational age, type of delivery
1 No 30 min
Hellenes [49] 2015 Norway RCT 336 188 148 1 Mod 16 w Aerobic activity Yes 30 + min - Cognitive, language and motor domains of children Gestational age, birth weight, and type of delivery
2 No
Hopkins [50] 2010 New Zealand RCT 84 47 37 5 65%
VO2max		 16 w Stationary cycling program No 40 min - Birth weight, gestational age -
Johannessen [51] 2021 Norway RCT 722 383 339 1 Mod 12 w Aerobic, strength and pelvic floor exercise Yes 55–70 min - Urinary incontinence at 3 months postpartum Type of delivery, episiotomy, epidural, duration of labor, birth weight
2 No 45 min
Karthiga [52] 2022 India RCT 234 121 113 7 Mod 20 w Yoga
5 sessions of Yoga techniques		 No 60 min - Gestational hypertension Type of delivery, duration of labor, birth weight
Labonte-Leymoyne [53] 2017 Canada RCT 18 10 8 3 55%
VO2max		 24 w Aerobic exercise Yes 20 + min - Neuroelectric response of the neonatal brain Maternal weight gain, birth weight
Leon-Larios [54] 2017 Spain RCT 466 254 212 5 Low 6 w Perineal massage and pelvic floor exercise No 18–23 min - Perineal tear and episiotomy Type of delivery, duration of labor, birth weight, and epidural analgesia
McDonald [55] 2018 USA RCT 90 49 41 5 55–69% Max HR 20 w Walking program No 40 min - Preeclampsia and pathophysiological progress of preeclampsia Gestational weight gain and birth weight
McDonald [56] 2022 USA RCT 192 131 61 3 Mod 24 w Aerobic and resistance training Yes 50 min 80% Gestational weight gain, type of delivery and birth weight -
Murtezani [57] 2014 Republic of Kosovo RCT 63 30 33 3 Mod 20 w Aerobic and strength exercise Yes 40–45 min 85% Birth weight and gestational age -
Nagpal [58] 2020 Canada RCT 40 23 17 3 Mild 11 w Walking program + nutrition Yes 25–40 min 80.2% Scoring women on meeting the intervention goals Gestational weight gain, birth weight, macrosomia, and low birth weight
Nascimento [59] 2011 Brazil RCT 80 39 41 5 Low–Mod 17 w Aerobic exercise
Walking		 No 40 min 62.5% Gestational weight gain Birth weight
Navas [60] 2021 Spain RCT 294 148 146 3 55–65% Max HR 20 w Aquatic exercise Yes 45 min - Postpartum depression, quality of life, and quality of sleep Gestational age, birth weight
Pais [61] 2021 India RCT 124 61 63 7 Low 20 w Yoga
One-to-one Yoga session for 7 days		 No 45 min - Preeclampsia and gestational diabetes Gestational age, duration of labor, type of delivery, birth weight
Perales [62] 2014 Spain RCT 167 90 77 3 55–60% Max HR 29 w Aerobic activity Yes 55–60 min - Prenatal depression Gestational weight gain, birth weight, and type of delivery
Perales [63] 2015 Spain RCT 63 38 25 3 55–60% Max HR 28 w Aerobic dance, pelvic floor muscle training Yes 55–60 min 80% Fetal and maternal heart rate Gestational weight gain, birth weight, type of delivery
Perales [64] 2020 Spain RCT 1348 688 660 3 Light–Mod 30 w Aerobic, pelvic floor exercise Yes 50–55 min 95% Gestational weight gain, hypertension, and gestational diabetes Type of delivery, birth weight, gestational age
Pereira [65] 2022 Portugal RCT 126 63 63 3 55–69% Max HR 3 w Walking Yes 30 min - Rate of labor induction Type of delivery, birth weight
Phelan [66] 2011 USA RCT 363 179 184 7 Low 26 w Walking No 30 min - Gestational weight gain Gestational hypertension, birth weight, and type of delivery
Price [67] 2012 USA RCT 62 31 31 4 Mod 23 w Aerobic exercise Yes 45–60 min - Birth weight Duration of labor, type of delivery
Prabhu [68] 2015 India RCT 105 52 53 2 Mod 12 w Aerobic dance Yes 45 min 80% Birth weight -
1 No 30 min
Raper [69] 2021 USA RCT 125 58 67 3 Mod 24 w Aerobic Yes 50 min 80% Gestational diabetes, type of delivery, and birth weight -
Rodriguez-Blanque [70] 2019 Spain RTC 129 65 64 3 Mod 17 w Aquatic physical exercise Yes 60 min - Laceration and episiotomy rates Type of delivery, birth weight, and anesthesia
Rodriguez-Diaz [71] 2017 Spain RCT 100 50 50 2 Mod 8 w Pilates Yes 40–45 min 90% Gestational weight gain, blood pressure, strength, flexibility, and spinal curvature Type of delivery, episiotomy, analgesia, and birth weight
Ruchat [72] 2012 Canada RCT 71 26 45 1 Mod 22 w Walking Yes 25–40 min - Gestational weight gain, birth weight -
2–3 No
Ruiz [73] 2013 Spain RCT 962 481 481 3 Light–Mod 28 w Aerobic and resistance exercise Yes 50–55 min 97% Gestational weight gain Birth weight, type of delivery
Sagedal [74] 2017 Norway RCT 591 296 295 2 Mod 24 w Aerobic, strength training. Dietary counselling Yes 60 min - Gestational weight gain, birth weight Gestational age, perineal tear
Seneviratne [75] 2015 New Zealand RCT 75 38 37 3–5 Mod 16 w Stationary cycling program No 15–30 min - Birth weight, type of delivery Gestational weight gain, gestational age
Silva-Jose [76] 2022 Spain RCT 139 69 70 3 55–65% Max HR 30 w Aerobic exercise Yes 55–60 min 80% Gestational
weight gain		 Birth weight, type of delivery
Sobhgol [77] 2022 Australia RCT 200 100 100 7 Low 16 w Pelvic floor muscle exercise No 30 min 50% Female sexual function Type of delivery, perineal tear, episiotomy, duration of labor, and birth weight
Stafne [78] 2012 Norway RCT 761 396 365 2 Mod–High 12 w Aerobic, strength, pelvic floor training Yes 60 min 55% Urinary and anal
incontinence		 Type of delivery, birth weight
1 No 45 min
Szumilewicz [79] 2020 Poland RCT 260 133 127 3 Low–Mod 24 w Aerobic, resistance, pelvic floor muscle training Yes 60 min - Urinary incontinence 2 months and 1 year postpartum Type of delivery, birth weight, duration of labor, analgesia
Taniguchi [80] 2016 Japan RCT 118 60 58 3 Mod 6 + w Walk briskly Yes 30 min 80% Type of delivery, birth weight -
Tomic [81] 2013 Croatia RCT 334 166 168 3 60–75% Max HR 28 w Aerobic exercise Yes 50 min 80% Macrosomia, birth weight, type of delivery, gestational weight gain -
Uria-Minguito [82] 2022 Spain RCT 203 102 101 3 65–70% Max HR 28 w Aerobic exercise Yes 50–60 min - Gestational diabetes Gestational weight gain, type of delivery, birth weight
Ussher [83] 2015 UK RCT 789 394 395 3–4 Low 6 w Exercise on
a treadmill		 Yes 20 min 88.8% Continuous smoking abstinence Type of delivery, birth weight
Vinter [84] 2011 Denmark RCT 304 150 154 7 Mod 24 w Aerobic exercise, dietary counselling No 30–60 min - Gestational weight gain Birth weight
Wang [85] 2017 China RCT 226 112 114 3 55–65% Max HR 24 w Stationary cycling program Yes 45–60 min 75% Gestational diabetes Birth weight, macrosomia
Yekefallah [86] 2021 Iran RCT 70 35 35 2 Low–Mod 11 w Yoga Yes 75 min - Episiotomy, perineal tear, type of delivery Birth weight, gestational age, duration of labor

Author: first author last name; Year: year of study; Country: country where the article was developed (usually in the method part); Type: type of article, if it is a randomized clinical (or controlled) trial, RCT is indicated. N: total number of women analyzed. Those of the GI and those of the CG have to coincide. EG: Number of women analyzed in the intervention group. CG: number of women analyzed in the control group. Freq: weekly frequency of exercise sessions (3 days a week, 2, etc.). Intensity: moderate, high...; Duration of program: program time. If the program lasted 10 weeks, or if it started in week 12 and ended in week 28, it is described as being 16 weeks long. Type of exercise: aerobic, muscle strengthening, etc. Superv. Classes: whether or not there was supervision. Duration of class: minutes of each session. Adh.: adherence of the participants to the intervention (%). This indicates how many women attended. Main variables analyzed: lists all the main variables of the study. This is usually in the method section in “outcomes”, and they appear as “main outcomes”. If main does not appear, they are the first. You will find it in several places. Secondary variables: the same as before, but secondary. In the same study, this may involve different types of exercises, varying durations for each exercise, and both supervised and unsupervised exercises.