Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess evidence on the effects of aquatic exercise in pregnant women. The search included the following databases: Medline-PubMed, Web of science, PEDro, Scopus and SPORTDiscus databases. Seventeen randomized controlled trials were included (n = 2439, age 20–39 years; 31.30 ± 1.30 years). The systematic review carried out has indicated that aquatic exercise in pregnant women appears to have positive effects on preventing excessive maternal weight gain, improving maternal body image, as well as promoting healthy behavior, decreasing medical leave due to lower back pain during pregnancy, preventing gestational depression by improving maternal glucose tolerance levels, and reducing O’Sullivan test values. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database was used to evaluate the quality of the methodology of the selected studies, which were found to present an average methodological quality (PEDro scale: 5.05 points). Meta-analysis showed that aquatic exercise in pregnant women appears to have positive effects in the prevention of excessive maternal weight gain (mean difference −1.66 kg, 95% CI −2.67 to −0.66) and also to reduce birth weight mean differences (−89.13 g, 95% CI −143.18 to −35.08). The practice of aquatic exercise is appropriate throughout pregnancy. However, more research is needed to build more solid knowledge on the benefits of aquatic physical exercise on physical fitness (endurance, flexibility, agility and strength).
Highlights
At varying percentages, the following can be associated with pregnancy: hormonally caused pathologies: gingivitis (35–50%) [2], constipation (11–40%) [3], hyperemesis gravidarum (0.3–2%) [4]; behavioral pathologies: gastroesophageal reflux (30–50%) [5] or due to the physiological changes in pregnancy: anemia (14%) [6]
It should be noted that programs containing a aquatic exercise promgirxaedmisntoernvethnteiohne(aaeltrhob(ipc h+ymsuicscaullaarnrdescisotgannciet)ivaned) othfapt croemgnbiannetthweoamqueanticaanndd land environment have a more positive effect on glucose levels [20,22], on the prevention and reduction of gestational diabetes [21–23] and on the reduction of maternal weight [20]
Than routine prenatal care programs. This is due to the greater energy demand involved in performing aerobic and muscular resistance training in water, where the resistance to movement is much higher than that which is experienced in routine prenatal care [20]
Summary
Pregnancy is a key life process, experienced by many women, which causes anatomical, physiological, metabolic, morphological and psychological modifications. All of these changes are continuous and gradual, allowing the pregnant woman to adapt to them progressively, and facilitate the proper development of the fetus, and her own preparation for childbirth, postpartum and lactation [1]. The incorporation of women into the workplace dates back to the time of the Second World War, due the need for them to carry out the work that had previously been performed by men, who were were at the front. Increasing the number of women in the workplace has led many of them working during their pregnancies and breastfeeding periods, which in turn increases the risks that can affect working mothers throughout their productive lives [9]
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