In August 2018 researchers from Norway published the results of their study to assess whether physical activity during pregnancy had any effect on post-natal depression. A total of 643 pregnant women (58% ethnic minorities) were included in the study. Physical activity was recorded with a fitness tracker from week 28 and information on health outcomes was collected via standardized interviews. Symptoms of post-natal depression were assessed at 3 months after birth. Results showed that mothers who accumulated over 150 minutes of moderate-vigorous physical activity each week had a significantly lower risk of post-natal depression compared to those who did not accumulate any minutes per week. This finding was irrespective of ethnicity.
Shakeel N et al. Physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms in a multiethnic cohort. J Affect Disord. 2018 Aug 15;236:93-100.