Evidence mapPaperPMID 41152871Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2025

Preventive effects of different types of exercises during pregnancy on gestational diabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Yijia Ren, Liuwei Zhang, Jiaoying Cheng, Yi Gao, Yuqing He

Abstract readSystematic ReviewNetwork Meta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yijia Ren *Key Laboratory of Exercise and Physical Fitness (Beijing Sport University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
Liuwei Zhang *Key Laboratory of Exercise and Physical Fitness (Beijing Sport University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China. 2466@bsu.edu.cn.
Jiaoying ChengDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China. cjy19781031@163.com.
Yi GaoKey Laboratory of Exercise and Physical Fitness (Beijing Sport University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.
Yuqing HeKey Laboratory of Exercise and Physical Fitness (Beijing Sport University), Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.

Funding

the Chinese Universities Scientific Fund 2024TZJK007the Food Science and Technology Fund of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology - SCITOP BIO Young Scientists Fund 2018-02the National Natural Science Foundation of China 81803324
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundExercise is known to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the effectiveness of various exercise regimens in preventing GDM remains unclear, and the optimal approach has yet to be identified. This study aims to perform a systematic review and network meta-analysis to evaluate the preventive effects of different exercise interventions on GDM and to identify the most effective exercise strategy for its prevention.

methodsA comprehensive search of seven databases was conducted for studies published before March 2025 that examined the relationship between exercise during pregnancy and the risk of GDM. All literature underwent a rigorous screening process based on pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) tool. Data analysis, heterogeneity testing, publication bias assessment, and sensitivity analysis were performed using the Stata 17.0 software.

results(1) Meta-analysis revealed that the risk of GDM was significantly lower in the exercise intervention group compared to the conventional care group (OR 0.56, 95% CI = 0.44-0.71). (2) Subgroup analysis indicated that aerobic exercise (OR 0.40, 95% CI = 0.25-0.64), yoga (OR 0.19, 95% CI = 0.05-0.69), and diet and exercise guidance (OR 0.53, 95% CI = 0.37-0.76) significantly reduced the risk of GDM compared to the control group. Exercise intervention during pregnancy effectively reduced the risk of GDM in healthy individuals (OR 0.63, 95% CI = 0.43-0.93), overweight and/or obese individuals (OR 0.53, 95% CI = 0.36-0.79), and pregnant women at risk of GDM (OR 0.53, 95% CI = 0.34-0.82). Additionally, exercise intervention initiated in early pregnancy significantly prevented the development of GDM (OR 0.51, 95% CI = 0.39-0.68). (3) Network meta-analysis results demonstrated that yoga had the lowest surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA = 6.8%), suggesting that yoga was the most effective intervention in reducing the risk of GDM.

conclusionVarious types of exercise, including yoga, aerobic exercise, and diet and exercise guidance, are effective in preventing GDM during pregnancy. Among these, yoga appears to be particularly promising and could be considered for inclusion in preventive care strategies for pregnant women.

trial registrationThe study was registered on the International Prospective Registry of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) database (CRD42024552641) on 10 June 2024.

Indexed as

Diabetes, GestationalExerciseFemaleHumansPregnancyExerciseGestational diabetes mellitusNetwork meta-analysisYoga

Identifiers

PMID41152871
PMCPMC12570639

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.