Influence of virtual reality on postural balance and quality of life of pregnant women: controlled clinical trial randomized

Effects on the maternal-fetal health outcomes of various physical activity types in healthy pregnant women. A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) promotes health in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE

To collate the recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the effects of various types of PA during pregnancy on maternal-fetal health outcomes, among healthy mothers, and to report the variability in the outcomes reported.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42019143522). Systematic search conducted in EMBASE, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and CINAHL, from 2015-2020.

SELECTION CRITERIA

RCT examining PA interventions and maternal-fetal outcomes.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Were independently extracted by two reviewers. Quality of studies was assessed with Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool.

RESULTS

37 studies (6857 women) were included. PA had a protective effect on gestational weight gain (overall SMD -0.32, 95 % CI -0.46, -0.17, I² 77 %; supervised exercise SMD -0.15, 95 % CI -0.28, -0.02, I² 51 %; static cycling SMD -0.32, 95 % CI -0.59, -0.05; I² 49 %), gestational diabetes (overall OR 0.65, 95 % CI: 0.43, 0.98, I² 48 %), and hypertensive disorders (overall OR 0.51, 95 % CI: 0.31, 0.83, I² 0%).

CONCLUSIONS

PA in pregnancy had a preventive effect on weight gain, gestational diabetes, and hypertensive disorders. Supervised exercise and static cycling had a protective effect on gestational weight gain. Variation in outcomes reported suggest establishing a core outcome set.

Impact of lumbopelvic pain on postural balance during sit-to-stand activity in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction: The emergence of painful pathologies during gestation, such as lumbopelvic pain (LPP), can influence in the achievement of functional activities, such as sit-to-stand, throughout the gestational period. Objective: To compare the variables of static and dynamic postural balance (sit-to-stand activity) among pregnant women with and whitout lumbopelvic pain and the outcome variables between the gestational trimesters. Method: A total of 100 pregnant women participated in this study allocated as follows: 51 in the LPP group and 49 in the group without LPP. All participants were subjected to an evaluation protocol: filling an identification form, Analogic Visual Scale (AVS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Evaluation of postural balance was subsequently performed using the Balance Master System®. Results: 64.7% of women during the third trimester of pregnancy reported LPP. No statistically significant differences were found between LBP presence or absence in postural balance variables (p>0.05). However, gestational age influenced the VFEC variable (p=0.001). Conclusion: Women during the third gestational trimester presented complaints of lumbopelvic pain. However, the data acquired suggest that women with LPP do not have alterations in postural balance during sit-to-stand movement when compared to pregnant women without pain.