Review: Structured physical activity during pregnancy reduces risk of caesarean delivery

摘要

Context: Prevalence of C-section deliveries in the USA is approximately 32%. This procedure can add to pregnancy, complications as well as increase delivery costs. Any intervention with potential to decrease C-section rates are welcomed, particularly if it is low risk to mother and fetus. Structured exercise programmes have been shown to benefit women with normal pregnancies (eg, decreased incidence of hypertensive disorders, normalising birth weight) with very little reported risk. Thus, it is worth determining whether such programmes might be associated with lower risk of C-section. Because of perceived inadequacy of previous research on this topic, the authors performed a meta-analysis to determine whether regular exercise affects mode of delivery.