Clinical trial NCT06355375: Exercise in Pregnancy and Risk of Postpartum Depression
Official title: Exercise in Pregnancy and Risk of Postpartum Depression
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Depression
Pregnancy Related
Lead sponsor: Federico II University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-04-09
Enrollment: 398
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 20
Maximum age (years): 40
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Exercise during pregnancy
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) varies between 11.9% and 19.2% during the perinatal period. PPD refers to minor and major depression incidents that occur during pregnancy or shortly after (up until 12 months after birth). The symptoms of PPD embrace feeling sad or having a depressed mood, being uninterested in the new-born, unreasonable crying and fear of injuring or harming the baby. Consequently, PPD can negatively impact the mother's well-being and the baby's development. The impact on a child can be short for cognitive and motor development . Although medication is a feasible alternative, many women have constraints due to continuing breastfeeding. Therefore, exercise can be an alternative that could help to deal with PPD. Exercise can be used as a preventive or treatment of mild depression at an early stage and as an addition to a treatment plan for major depressive disorder. Exercising during pregnancy and postpartum improves psychological health and also benefits physical fitness, weight gain control and the prevention or reduction of musculoskeletal discomfort and pain. Therefore, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists has recommended that women during pregnancy and postpartum engage in moderate-intensity physical activity almost every day for 30 min a day

Detailed description: The prevalence of postpartum depression (PPD) varies between 11.9% and 19.2% during the perinatal period. PPD refers to minor and major depression incidents that occur during pregnancy or shortly after (up until 12 months after birth). The symptoms of PPD embrace feeling sad or having a depressed mood, being uninterested in the new-born, unreasonable crying and fear of injuring or harming the baby. Consequently, PPD can negatively impact the mother's well-being and the baby's development. The impact on a child can be short for cognitive and motor development . Although medication is a feasible alternative, many women have constraints due to continuing breastfeeding. Therefore, exercise can be an alternative that could help to deal with PPD. Exercise can be used as a preventive or treatment of mild depression at an early stage and as an addition to a treatment plan for major depressive disorder. Exercising during pregnancy and postpartum improves psychological health and also benefits physical fitness, weight gain control and the prevention or reduction of musculoskeletal discomfort and pain. Therefore, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists has recommended that women during pregnancy and postpartum engage in moderate-intensity physical activity almost every day for 30 min a day

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* singleton gestation
* low risk pregnancy
* age between 20 and 40

Exclusion Criteria:

* high risk pregnancy
* multiple gestation
* prior post partum depression
* any psychiatric disase
* controindication for exercise
* lung or heart disease
* prior preterm birth
* IVF pregnancy
* women who already perform agonistic sport activity

Primary outcomes:
measure: edinburgh depression scale
timeFrame: 3 months after delivery
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Postpartum depression
timeFrame: 3 months after delivery
measure: preterm birth
timeFrame: 37 weeks of gestation
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Naples
country: Italy
facility: Gabriele Saccone
Study officials:
References: