Efficacy of Mind-Body Exercise for Perinatal Depression and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Meng Liu¹Mingyu Liao²Jiaran Jiang³Xueqiang Zhu^4*Keyin Liu²

• ¹Nanning Normal University, Nanning, China
• ²Civil Aviation Flight University of China, Guanghan, China
• ³Shandong Xiehe University, Jinan, China
• ⁴Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China

Background and Objective: Although mind-body exercise is a promising non-pharmacological intervention, its overall efficacy for perinatal depression and anxiety remains unclear due to a lack of comprehensive assessment. Methods: Multiple databases were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mind-body exercise interventions for depressive and anxiety symptoms in perinatal women. A total of 13 studies were ultimately included. A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the effect sizes, and the GRADE methodology was used to assess the quality of evidence. Results: The meta-analysis revealed that mind-body exercise significantly improved both depression (SMD = -1.30, 95% CI: -1.86 to -0.73) and anxiety symptoms (SMD = -1.15, 95% CI: -1.84 to -0.45). However, there was extremely high heterogeneity among the studies (I² > 93%), and the GRADE evidence quality was "very low." Subgroup analyses indicated that the improvement in depressive symptoms was associated with the duration, period, and frequency of the intervention. Conclusion: Mind-body exercise may be beneficial for improving perinatal depression and anxiety, but the current evidence is of very low quality and high heterogeneity. Future research should focus on conducting large-sample RCTs with more rigorous designs and standardized reporting to provide more reliable evidence.