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Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health
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Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Women’s and Children’s Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 8477

Editor

Prof. Dr. Patricia K. Doyle-Baker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Human Performance Lab, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
2. Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
Interests: endocrinology; ovulation; hormones; menstrual cycle; menopausal transition; heart rate variability; female athletes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Exercise is defined as movement typically associated with positive outcomes.

We often, however, neglect to highlight the barriers that prevent individuals from being physical activity. Women, individuals who menstruate, those undergoing IVF, or those who are pregnant often face health challenges that can contribute to them not meeting the appropriate recommended physical activity guidelines. Menstrual cramps, pregnancy fatigue, and menopause symptoms may present certain barriers, yet there is also a positive role of physical activity in decreasing these symptoms while maintaining muscle mass and bone density.

In this Special Issue, dedicated to the ‘Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health’, we challenge exercise physiologists and other professionals to disseminate studies and quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, or systematic reviews that focus on exercise that includes an aspect of reproductive health in their research. Our goal is to explore the understudied relationship of reproductive health barriers and the benefits of exercise so as to provide women of all ages a supportive rationale to embrace movement.

Prof. Dr. Patricia K. Doyle-Baker
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • exercise benefits
  • reproductive health
  • menstrual and menopause symptom
  • pregnancy
  • physical activity barriers during menses

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 479 KB  
Article
Pregnant Women’s Experiences and Perceptions of the Impact of Exercise on Mental Health During Pregnancy—A Qualitative Study
by Manuela Filipec, Marko Bodrožić and Sania Almousa
Healthcare 2026, 14(5), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14050678 - 7 Mar 2026
Viewed by 796
Abstract
Background: Exercise during pregnancy is known to benefit physical and mental health. However, pregnant women’s lived experiences of its psychological impact remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to explore pregnant women’s experiences and perceptions of how exercise influences mental health during pregnancy. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: Exercise during pregnancy is known to benefit physical and mental health. However, pregnant women’s lived experiences of its psychological impact remain insufficiently explored. This study aimed to explore pregnant women’s experiences and perceptions of how exercise influences mental health during pregnancy. Methods: A qualitative study design was employed. Pregnant women were recruited using purposive sampling from a clinical hospital setting between March and September 2025. Eligible participants met predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data saturation guided sample size (N = 38). Data were collected through semi-structured online interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Four major participant-derived themes emerged: emotional regulation and mood stabilization, reduction of anxiety and depressive symptoms, enhanced self-confidence and body acceptance, and increased self-efficacy and sense of control. These themes illustrate the range of psychological benefits associated with maintaining exercise during pregnancy. Conclusions: This study highlights the psychological meanings pregnant women attribute to exercise, extending beyond its established physical benefits. These insights underscore the importance of integrating mental health perspective into prenatal physical activity counselling and support the development of more individualized, patient-centered prenatal care strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health)
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Review

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25 pages, 2910 KB  
Review
Effects of Aging on Determinants of Endurance Performance in Women Masters Athletes: A Scoping Review
by Danica Vangsgaard, Misa Noumi, K. Alix Hayden and Patricia K. Doyle-Baker
Healthcare 2026, 14(8), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14081080 - 17 Apr 2026
Viewed by 913
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Masters athletes are adults aged ≥40 who compete in sport, exhibiting superior physical function and healthier aging than their sedentary peers. However, even highly trained masters athletes experience age-related performance declines. Women masters athletes represent a growing yet understudied population who may [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Masters athletes are adults aged ≥40 who compete in sport, exhibiting superior physical function and healthier aging than their sedentary peers. However, even highly trained masters athletes experience age-related performance declines. Women masters athletes represent a growing yet understudied population who may face unique physiological challenges. This scoping review synthesizes literature from 1984 to 2024, examining the impact of age and menopause on determinants of endurance performance in women masters athletes. Methods: Following JBI scoping review methodology, six databases were searched (Medline, Embase, Central, CINAHL, SPORTdiscus, Scopus). Studies were evaluated for population characteristics, methodological approaches, and physiological determinants of performance (i.e., aerobic capacity, lactate kinetics, and exercise economy). Results: Twenty-nine studies were included. Most (n = 28) assessed aerobic capacity, reporting declines between 0.36 and 0.84 mL·kg−1·min−1·year−1 (0.5–2.4%·year−1). These reductions were primarily associated with decreased cardiac output followed by changes in body composition. Training volume emerged as a predictor of aerobic capacity, but the effects of menopause were unclear. Findings on lactate kinetics and exercise economy were mixed but preliminary research indicated that lactate threshold relative to VO2max generally increased, peak lactate remained stable and energy cost increased with age. Fitness and health characteristics among women athletes differed from sedentary populations, emphasizing the need for athlete-specific data to support training and health decisions. Conclusions: Aging is associated with decreased aerobic capacity and variable changes in lactate kinetics and exercise economy. While training volume may attenuate performance decrements, the impact of menopause remains uncertain, underscoring the need for longitudinal research to better support this growing segment of the population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health)
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Other

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14 pages, 1110 KB  
Systematic Review
The Effects of Different Exercises on Insulin Resistance and Testosterone Changes in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Network Meta-Analysis Study
by Yuandan Tan, Yujie Liu, Ami Koga, Yuling Yuan, Haohan Yu and Jingmin Liu
Healthcare 2025, 13(17), 2132; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172132 - 27 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5797
Abstract
Objective: To compare the efficacy of exercise modalities for simultaneously improving homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and total testosterone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials (n = 808) [...] Read more.
Objective: To compare the efficacy of exercise modalities for simultaneously improving homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and total testosterone in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Methods: We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of 19 randomized controlled trials (n = 808) to evaluate six exercise interventions: yoga, moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), resistance training (RT), combined aerobic-resistance training (CT), and control (CG). Primary outcomes were changes in HOMA-IR and total testosterone, with interventions ranked via surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results: For HOMA-IR reduction, yoga (SUCRA = 90.73%; SMD = −0.73, 95% CrI: −1.3 to −0.086) and HIIT (SUCRA = 74.12%; SMD = −0.47, 95% CrI: −0.75 to −0.15) demonstrated superior efficacy versus MICT (SUCRA = 50.56%) and CT (SUCRA = 42.29%), while RT was the least effective (SUCRA = 32.53%). For testosterone lowering, yoga was ranked the highest again (SUCRA = 92.46%; SMD = −0.85, 95% CrI: −1.7 to −0.12), followed by MICT (SUCRA = 75.72%; SMD = −0.56, 95% CrI: −0.97 to −0.25) and HIIT (SUCRA = 61.12%; SMD = −0.42, CrI: −0.88 to −0.12). CT and RT showed non-significant effects for both outcomes (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Yoga is the optimal intervention for dual-pathway improvement in PCOS. HIIT and MICT provide outcome-specific benefits (metabolic vs. endocrine), whereas CT and RT necessitate protocol refinement. Systematic review registration: This systematic review and network meta-analysis study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251011979). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Exercise on Reproductive Health)
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