The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Maternal Pain and Discomfort: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

.

first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessSystematic Review The Influence of Physical Activity during Pregnancy on Maternal Pain and Discomfort: A Meta-Analysis Save Chat with paper by Miguel Sánchez-Polán 1ORCID,Taniya S. Nagpal 2,Dingfeng Zhang 1,Cristina Silva-Jose 1ORCID,Rocío Montejo 3,4 andRubén Barakat 1,*ORCID 1 AFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain 2 Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada 3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, 405 30 Gothenburg, Sweden 4 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 413 46 Gothenburg, Sweden * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(1), 44; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14010044 Submission received: 18 November 2023 / Revised: 22 December 2023 / Accepted: 27 December 2023 / Published: 28 December 2023 (This article belongs to the Section Clinical Medicine, Cell, and Organism Physiology) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Browse Figures Versions Notes Abstract Pregnant women may experience pain and discomfort during pregnancy, especially in areas such as the lower back and pelvic girdle. Pain in pregnancy is associated with poor quality of life, and because it is a common occurrence, pregnant women may be offered several resources to prevent discomforts throughout pregnancy, such as engaging in physical activity. This study was a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (prospectively registered in Prospero, registration number: CRD42023451320) aimed to assess the effects of physical activity during pregnancy on maternal pain and discomfort. We analysed 16 randomised clinical trials. The results of these analyses indicate that women who performed physical activity had significantly less intensity of pain (z = <2.69, p = <0.007; SMD = −0.66, 95% CI = −1.13, −0.18, I2 = <91%, Pheterogeneity = <0.001) and a reduction observed in the disability questionnaire (z = <2.37, p = <0.02; SMD = −0.80, 95% CI = −1.47, −0.14, I2 = <91%, Pheterogeneity = <0.001), and overall reduced general pain (z = <3.87, p = <0.001; SMD = −0.56, 95% CI = −0.84, −0.27, I2 = <86%, Pheterogeneity = <0.001) than women who did not practice physical activity during pregnancy. In conclusion, physical activity during pregnancy could effectively help to diminish pain intensity, reduce disability due to pain, and generally reduce pain