Evidence mapPaperPMID 41691192Full record

SynthesisBMC pregnancy and childbirth2026

Physical activity during pregnancy and gestational weight gain depending on pre-pregnancy body mass index: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Miguel Sánchez-Polán, Rita Santos-Rocha, Dingfeng Zhang, Cristina Silva-José, Evelia Franco, Rubén Barakat

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

6 authors.

Miguel Sánchez-PolánGICAF Research Group, Department of Education, Research and Evaluation Methods, Universidad Pontificia Comillas, Madrid, Spain.
Rita Santos-RochaESDRM - Department of Physical Activity and Health, Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior, Santarém Polytechnic University, Rio Maior, Portugal. ritasantosrocha@esdrm.ipsantarem.pt.
Dingfeng ZhangAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Cristina Silva-JoséAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Evelia FrancoDepartamento de Comunicación y Educación, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain.
Rubén BarakatAFIPE Research Group, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.

Funding

FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology (Portugal) 2023.14896.PEX
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMaternal weight gain during pregnancy is one of the most important outcomes that healthcare professionals have, as excessive weight gain is associated with maternal, foetal, and newborn complications. However, the prevalence of excessive weight gain continues to increase worldwide. The benefits that physical activity could have during pregnancy have been demonstrated in several areas, including adequate control of weight gain, therefore, the objective of this meta-analysis was to examine the impact of physical activity during pregnancy on gestational weight gain.

methodsSystematic review and meta-analysis (Registration No.: CRD42022374014). Articles written in English and Spanish published between January 2010 and May 2024 were searched. This study exclusively included randomised controlled trials involving pregnant women and interventions consisting of physical activity during pregnancy. The primary outcome was gestational weight gain, and other outcomes were excessive weight gain and gestational weight gain depending on body mass index during pregnancy.

resultsFifty-four studies were included in this review. The intervention groups were compared with the control groups. Pregnant women in intervention groups experienced a significant reduction in gestational weight gain compared to control group (z = 4.73, p < 0.001), with greater effects in terms of mean differences to gain less gestational weight gain in supervised physical activity interventions and comprising various types of physical activity in the intervention programme, despite the absence of significant differences in the test for subgroup differences (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the appearance of excessive gestational weight gain resulted in a large reduction in intervention group (z = 6.09, p < 0.001). Analyses based on body mass index before pregnancy revealed that women with normal weight in intervention group experienced lower gestational weight gain (z = 3.58, p < 0.01).

conclusionsPhysical activity during pregnancy can help better control an adequate gestational weight gain, in women of normal weight, reduce the risk of excessive weight gain, and with a trend to better manage the weight gain after a supervised intervention or involving more than one type of physical activity.

Indexed as

Body Mass IndexExerciseGestational Weight GainFemaleHumansPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicWeight GainBody compositionCardiovascularExercisePhysical activityPregnancyWomen

Identifiers

PMID41691192
PMCPMC13011772

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.