The American School of Obstetrics and Gynecology (host) recommends performing moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes most of the days of the week.A recent meta -analysis proved that physical activity before pregnancy or in the first quarter is associated with a reduction in the risk of DG.

Since the tests that support this recommendation are limited, the BI-RU LUO team of the University of Sichuan, carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis of six clinical trials controlled with 1,089 women.

In most of the trials, the participants exercised three times a week, between 30 and 60 minutes, with aerobic training, resistance exercises, intense walks, water gymnastics or muscle training.

Three trials had revealed a lower incidence of the DG between those who exercised and those that did not, but one had demonstrated a statistically significant decrease.

Two clinical trials had identified an increase in the incidence of the DG with the exercise, while the last study had not provided that estimate.Metaanalysis revealed that the relative risk of DG was 0.91 (95 percent IC 0.57-1,44) with the exercise, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine equipment.

By excluding two essays that could skew the analysis, the results did not vary.

"We find that the evidence is insufficient to suggest that the exercise in pregnancy would reduce the risk of developing DG," concludes the equipment, "the effect on glucose metabolism is different in women who are pregnant or not."Even so, Luo believes that exercise could have some effect.

"I think he has the potential to reduce the risk of DG, although the moment of pregnancy would seem important to do so," he said by e-mail."Exercise before pregnancy or in the first quarter is better than doing it in the second and third quarter."

The researchers cited an essay that had shown that intense exercise before pregnancy and in the first quarter reduces the risk of developing DG.Likewise, the adhesion to the protocol in one of the studies reviewed was not very high (55 percent with the intervention and 10 percent with the voluntary increase in physical activity (control group).

"I would tell women at risk of DG to exercise if they are trying to get pregnant and not suspend it in the first quarter," Luo said."And when they are pregnant, they decrease the intensity of the exercise."

Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine, online September 2013.