Exercise is well recognized for its mental health benefits, yet the optimal type and dose of exercise for managing perinatal depression and anxiety remain unclear. To address this gap, a study evaluated the effects of different exercise modalities and volumes on perinatal mental health by synthesizing evidence from 43 clinical trials involving 3,843 women. The analysis showed that mind–body exercise (standardized mean difference [SMD] −0.90) and aerobic exercise (SMD −0.60) significantly reduced symptoms of perinatal depression.
Among specific modalities, Pilates (SMD −1.50) and yoga (SMD −1.01) demonstrated the largest effect sizes. In women with depressive symptoms, aerobic exercise produced the greatest benefit (SMD −0.97), followed by mind–body exercise (SMD −0.44). Notably, both aerobic (SMD −0.86) and mind–body exercises (SMD −0.58) were effective during pregnancy , whereas…
