Variations in reporting of outcomes in randomized trials on diet and physical activity in pregnancy: A systematic review

Ewelina Rogozińska; Nadine Marlin; Fen Yang; Jodie M Dodd; Kym Guelfi; Helena Teede; Fernanda Surita; Dorte M Jensen; Nina R W Geiker; Arne Astrup; SeonAe Yeo; Tarja I Kinnunen; Signe N Stafne; Jose G Cecatti; Annick Bogaerts; Hans Hauner; Ben W Mol; Tânia T Scudeller; Christina A Vinter; Kristina M Renault; Roland Devlieger; Shakila Thangaratinam; Khalid S Khan; i-WIP (International Weight Management in Pregnancy) Collaborative Group

doi:10.1111/jog.13338

Variations in reporting of outcomes in randomized trials on diet and physical activity in pregnancy: A systematic review

J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2017 Jul;43(7):1101-1110. doi: 10.1111/jog.13338. Epub 2017 Jun 14.

Authors

Ewelina Rogozińska^{1

2}, Nadine Marlin³, Fen Yang⁴, Jodie M Dodd^{5

6}, Kym Guelfi⁷, Helena Teede⁸, Fernanda Surita⁹, Dorte M Jensen¹⁰, Nina R W Geiker¹¹, Arne Astrup¹², SeonAe Yeo¹³, Tarja I Kinnunen¹⁴, Signe N Stafne^{15

16}, Jose G Cecatti⁹, Annick Bogaerts^{17

18

19}, Hans Hauner²⁰, Ben W Mol²¹, Tânia T Scudeller²², Christina A Vinter²³, Kristina M Renault²⁴, Roland Devlieger²⁵, Shakila Thangaratinam^{1

2}, Khalid S Khan^{1

2}; i-WIP (International Weight Management in Pregnancy) Collaborative Group

Affiliations

¹ Women's Health Research Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK.
² Multidisciplinary Evidence Synthesis Hub (mEsh), Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
³ Pragmatic Clinical Trials Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
⁴ Human Reproduction, Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood and Reproduction, China.
⁵ The Robinson Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
⁶ Women's and Children's Health Network, Women's and Babies Division, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
⁷ Exercise Physiology and Biochemistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
⁸ Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, School of Public Health, Monash University, Australia, Melbourne, Australia.
⁹ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Campinas (UNICAMP), São Paulo, Brazil.
¹⁰ Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
¹¹ Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, Nutrition Research Unit, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
¹² Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
¹³ School of Nursing, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
¹⁴ School of Health Sciences, The University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
¹⁵ Department of Public Health and General Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
¹⁶ Clinical Services, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway.
¹⁷ Research Unit Healthy Living, University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
¹⁸ Centre for Research & Innovation in Care, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
¹⁹ Department Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
²⁰ Center for Nutritional Medicine, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany.
²¹ The South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, South Australia, Australia.
²² Department of Management and Health Care, São Paulo Federal University (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
²³ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Odense University Hospital, The University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
²⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hvidovre Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
²⁵ Division of Mother and Child, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Colleges Leuven-Limburg, Hasselt and University Hospitals KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.

PMID: 28613023
DOI: 10.1111/jog.13338

Abstract

Aim: Trials on diet and physical activity in pregnancy report on various outcomes. We aimed to assess the variations in outcomes reported and their quality in trials on lifestyle interventions in pregnancy.

Methods: We searched major databases without language restrictions for randomized controlled trials on diet and physical activity-based interventions in pregnancy up to March 2015. Two independent reviewers undertook study selection and data extraction. We estimated the percentage of papers reporting 'critically important' and 'important' outcomes. We defined the quality of reporting as a proportion using a six-item questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to identify factors affecting this quality.

Results: Sixty-six randomized controlled trials were published in 78 papers (66 main, 12 secondary). Gestational diabetes (57.6%, 38/66), preterm birth (48.5%, 32/66) and cesarian section (60.6%, 40/66), were the commonly reported 'critically important' outcomes. Gestational weight gain (84.5%, 56/66) and birth weight (87.9%, 58/66) were reported in most papers, although not considered critically important. The median quality of reporting was 0.60 (interquartile range 0.25, 0.83) for a maximum score of one. Study and journal characteristics did not affect quality.

Conclusion: Many studies on lifestyle interventions in pregnancy do not report critically important outcomes, highlighting the need for core outcome set development.

Keywords: diet; outcome; physical activity; pregnancy; quality; randomized trial.

Publication types

Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Diet*
Exercise*
Female
Humans
Outcome Assessment, Health Care / standards*
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications*
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / standards*