Effect of Prenatal Exercise on the Rate of Cesarean Section: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: According to the World Health Organization, the cesarean section (CS) rate is alarmingly high. As such, it is urgent to reduce the rate of CS. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine the effects of prenatal exercise on delivery outcomes. Methods: A search was carried out in databases including PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and Weipu, from January 1, 2020 to August 27, 2024. Two reviewers independently assessed the articles for quality and risk of bias using the Cochrane handbook. The statistical heterogeneity was determined using the Cochran’s Q test and Higgins’ I2 coefficient. Results: Of the 243 reviewed articles, 11 were included in this review, which contained 2553 pregnant women. The results of the meta-analysis showed that there was a statistical difference in the CS rate between the prenatal exercise group and non-prenatal exercise group (p < 0.05). There were also statistical differences in CS rate between the experimental group and the control group, with aerobic exercise combined with childbirth training (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Prenatal exercise including aerobic exercise during pregnancy and prenatal training related to delivery was effective in reducing the rate of CS, and aerobic exercise combined with delivery training also reduced the rate of CS and increased the rate of natural delivery.