title: Aerobic exercise training during pregnancy reduces depressive symptoms in nulliparous women: a randomised trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Does supervised aerobic exercise during pregnancy reduce depressive symptoms in nulliparous women?
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  80 nulliparous, pregnant women attending for prenatal care at one of three tertiary hospitals in Cali, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group completed a 3-month supervised exercise program, commencing at 16 to 20 weeks of gestation. Each session included walking (10 min), aerobic exercise (30 min), stretching (10 min), and relaxation (10 min). The control group continued usual activities and performed no specific exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was symptoms of depression assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at baseline and immediately after the 3-month intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  74 women completed the study. After the 3-month intervention, the experimental group reduced their depressive symptoms on the CES-D questionnaire by 4 points (95% CI 1 to 7) more than the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A supervised 3-month program of primarily aerobic exercise during pregnancy reduces depressive symptoms.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NCT00872365.
authors.affiliation: University of Valle, Cali, Colombia.
authors.forename: Angelo Fernando
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Robledo-Colonia
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sandoval-Restrepo
authors.forename: Yannier Ferley
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Mosquera-Valderrama
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Escobar-Hurtado
authors.forename: Robinson
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramírez-Vélez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010298:Parity; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult