Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of exercise intervention for antenatal depression using meta-analysis and to propose the best exercise intervention program.
Methods: Review Manager 5.3 was used to analyze 17 papers with 2224 subjects by setting five moderators, including type, time, frequency, period, and format of exercise intervention, and a random-effects model was used to test for overall effect, heterogeneity, and publication bias.
Results: (1) The effect size of the exercise intervention on antenatal depression was d = -0.56, which reached a good effect and was statistically significant; b (2) The effect size of the exercise type on antenatal depression was Yoga and a combination of aerobic exercise in order of intervention; (3) the single intervention duration of 10-75 min all had a good effect on antenatal depression, and 30-60 min had the best effect; (4) the intervention frequency of 3 to 5 times/week had the greatest amount of intervention effect on maternal depression; (5) exercise lasting 6-10 weeks had a good intervention effect on antepartum depression, and the amount of effect decreased gradually with the extension of time; (6) In terms of exercise format, the amount of intervention effect on maternal depression was in the order of group exercise, individual + group exercise.
Conclusions: Exercise intervention can significantly alleviate antenatal depression symptoms. The best exercise program for exercise intervention for antenatal depression is: Yoga and a combination of aerobic exercise intervention effects are more prominent, and the intervention effect of Yoga is the best. The use of group exercise 3-5 times per week for 30-60 min for 6-10 weeks was more likely to achieve the desired intervention effect of improving antenatal depression.
Keywords: Antenatal depression; Effect size; Exercise intervention; Meta-analysis.
© 2023. The Author(s).