Contactless exercise intervention in prenatal and postnatal period during COVID-19 lowers the risk of postpartum depression

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial adverse impact on the physical and mental health of pregnant and postpartum women, thereby increasing the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a continuous contactless exercise intervention in reducing the risk of PPD during the prenatal and postnatal periods. The study utilized a real-time contactless exercise program consisting of Pilates for eight weeks during pregnancy and eight weeks after childbirth. Metabolic and psychological factors related to PPD, including pain, stress, and stress-response markers, were analyzed. The results showed that the exercise intervention significantly alleviated PPD by improving pain and stress factors caused by physical structural imbalances in postpartum women. Additionally, the intervention improved the metabolic imbalances commonly observed after childbirth, including reductions in triglyceride (TG), insulin, leptin, and cortisol levels, which are recognized risk factors for PPD. Taken together, these findings suggest that contactless online exercise interventions can mitigate postpartum depression by addressing metabolic dysregulation that frequently occurs after delivery, especially in situations of social isolation caused by the pandemic.