SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2026
Exercise-based interventions for postpartum depressive symptoms: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of exercise modality and weekly volume.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Abstract
Objectives: To synthesize randomized evidence on exercise-based interventions for postpartum depressive symptom scores and to explore comparative signals across exercise types and pragmatic weekly-volume categories using pairwise and network meta-analysis. Methods: Eight bibliographic databases were searched from inception and updated through July 23, 2026, with three trial registries searched in the final update, for randomized controlled trials of postpartum exercise interventions reporting Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) scores. Pairwise meta-analysis used mean differences (MDs), and network meta-analyses evaluated exercise-type and weekly-volume nodes. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251275738). Results: Twenty-four randomized controlled trials involving 1, 792 unique participants (912 intervention and 880 control) were included. Exercise was associated with lower EPDS scores than usual care/non-exercise control (MD = -2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) -3.57 to -1.88; I Conclusion: Exercise may reduce postpartum depressive symptom scores, but mixed prevention-oriented and treatment-oriented samples, substantial heterogeneity, co-interventions, and star-shaped networks preclude identifying an optimal exercise type or dose. Exercise may be considered as an adjunct within individualized postpartum mental-health care, not a substitute for clinical assessment or indicated treatment.
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