title: Systematic review of randomised controlled trials on exercise interventions for weight management during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum among normal weight, overweight and obese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the effectiveness of exercise interventions in managing weight among pregnant and postpartum women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten databases were searched for randomised controlled studies, published between January 1990 and September 2013 that compared an exercise-based weight management intervention with routine care or another type of intervention. There were no restrictions to the type, frequency, duration, intensity or mode of exercise intervention. Interventions not specifically designed to target or affect weight were excluded. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The combined searches yielded 354 articles. Reasons for study exclusion included but were not limited to; non-randomisation, retrospective study design, duplicates, qualitative/baseline studies, not specifically designed to influence weight, combined intervention and study protocols. Five papers were included in this review (three trials with pregnant women and two trials with postpartum women). Two of the three pregnancy-related studies found that exercise interventions significantly reduced gestational weight gain. In addition, postpartum women in the intervention groups lost significantly more body weight than those in the control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a paucity of information on the efficacy of exercise-only interventions for the prevention of excessive gestational weight gain and retention. However, there is some limited evidence to suggest that exercise can be used for these groups to alleviate some of the issues associated with maternal obesity.
authors.affiliation: Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Elliott-Sale
authors.affiliation: Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Nottingham Trent University, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sale