Prenatal exercise may lower gestational diabetes risk, but not pregnancy weight gain

Low confidence

some concerns bias

Last updated May 6, 2026

Key takeaway:

In overweight or obese pregnant women, supervised exercise did not reduce gestational weight gain, but it may have lowered gestational diabetes incidence and late-pregnancy systolic blood pressure.

Study at a glance

What was studied

Supervised prenatal endurance and strength exercise in pregnant women with overweight or obesity

Study type

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs)

duration

Medium-Term (3–12 mo)

Intervention

Exercise therapy

Outcomes

Pregnancy weight gain, Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence, Systolic blood pressure, Diastolic blood pressure

Funding

Non-industry sponsored

Main effects

Gestational weight gain ↔ no clear difference between groups

Gestational diabetes incidence ↓ in the exercise group

Systolic blood pressure ↓ in late pregnancy with exercise

Evidence Summary

Intervention	Outcome	Measured Change	Study Effect
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity)	Diastolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health)	Uncertain	Limited
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity)	Gestational diabetes mellitus incidence (Clinical Outcomes)	Decrease	Limited
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity)	Pregnancy weight gain (Weight & Anthropometrics)	Uncertain	Limited
Exercise therapy (Physical Activity)	Systolic blood pressure (Metabolic Health)	Decrease	Strong

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Evidence Suggest

The main endpoint, gestational weight gain, was similar in the exercise and control groups.
Gestational diabetes was reported less often in the exercise group than in standard care.
Late-pregnancy systolic blood pressure was lower in women assigned to exercise training.

Who this applies to

This study applies most directly to pregnant women with prepregnancy overweight or obesity receiving routine maternity care. It is most relevant to women starting pregnancy without known gestational diabetes but at elevated metabolic risk.

Keep in Mind

The strongest conclusion from this trial is that supervised exercise did not clearly reduce gestational weight gain. The more encouraging findings involved secondary outcomes, especially gestational diabetes incidence and systolic blood pressure. Because the trial was smaller than planned and adherence was only moderate, those benefits may be real but remain less certain than they would be in a larger, better-powered study.

Between the Lines

The study recruited fewer women than planned.
Adherence to the exercise program was modest.
Positive findings were mainly in secondary outcomes.
The exercise intervention could not be blinded.

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Journal Reference

Garnæs KK, Mørkved S, Salvesen Ø, Moholdt T. Exercise Training and Weight Gain in Obese Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial (ETIP Trial). PLoS Med. 2016;13(7):e1002079. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002079