Efficacy of mind–body exercise for perinatal depression and anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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 ( I 2 > 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.