title: Does exercise during pregnancy prevent postnatal depression? A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study whether exercise during pregnancy reduces the risk of postnatal depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Trondheim and Stavanger University Hospitals, Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundred and fifty-five pregnant women were randomized to intervention or control groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was a 12 week exercise program, including aerobic and strengthening exercises, conducted between week 20 and 36 of pregnancy. One weekly group session was led by physiotherapists, and home exercises were encouraged twice a week. Control women received regular antenatal care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) completed three months after birth. Scores of 10 or more and 13 or more suggested probable minor and major depression, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourteen of 379 (3.7%) women in the intervention group and 17 of 340 (5.0%) in the control group had an EPDS score of ≥10 (p=0.46), and four of 379 (1.2%) women in the intervention group and eight of 340 (2.4%) in the control group had an EPDS score of ≥13 (p=0.25). Among women who did not exercise prior to pregnancy, two of 100 (2.0%) women in the intervention group and nine of 95 (9.5%) in the control group had an EPDS score of ≥10 (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find a lower prevalence of high EPDS scores among women randomized to regular exercise during pregnancy compared with the control group. However, a subgroup of women in the intervention group who did not exercise regularly prior to pregnancy had a reduced risk of postnatal depression.
authors: Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health.
authors: Kristian M
authors: KM
authors: Songøygard
authors: Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.|Clinical Service.
authors: Signe N
authors: SN
authors: Stafne
authors: Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.|Clinical Service.
authors: Kari Anne I
authors: KAI
authors: Evensen
authors: Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health.|National Center for Fetal Medicine, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
authors: Kjell Å
authors: KÅ
authors: Salvesen
authors: Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health.
authors: Torstein
authors: T
authors: Vik
authors: Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim.|Clinical Service.
authors: Siv
authors: S
authors: Mørkved
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D057566:Self Report; D016896:Treatment Outcome