Exercise during pregnancy: knowledge and beliefs of medical practitioners in South Africa: a survey study

Abstract

BackgroundThere is compelling evidence for the benefits of regular exercise during pregnancy, and medical practitioners (MPs) can play an important role in changing antenatal health behaviours. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of South African MPs towards exercise during pregnancy.MethodsA convenience sample of ninety-six MPs working in the private health care sector, including General Practitioners (n = 58), Obstetricians/Gynaecologists (n = 33) and other Specialists (n = 5), participated in this cross sectional, descriptive survey study. A 33-item questionnaire was distributed manually at medical practices and via email to an on-line survey tool. Descriptive statistics and frequency tables were calculated for all questions. Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact statistical tests were used to determine the differences in response by age, speciality and years of practice (p < 0.05).ResultsThe majority of practitioners (98 %) believe that exercise during pregnancy is beneficial, and were knowledgeable on most of the expected benefits. Seventy-eight percent believed that providing exercise advice is an important part of prenatal care, however only 19 % provided informational pamphlets and few (24 %) referred to exercise specialists. A large majority (83 %) were unaware of the recommended exercise guidelines. Although age and years of practice played no role in this awareness, practitioners who focussed on obstetrics and gynaecology were more likely to be aware of the current guidelines, than those in general practice (p < 0.001).ConclusionAlthough the MPs were largely positive towards exercise during pregnancy, their advice did not always align with the current guidelines. Therefore, better dissemination of available research is warranted, to bridge the gap between clinical knowledge and current recommendations for physical activity promotion.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12884-015-0690-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Physical Exercise During Pregnancy – How Active Are Pregnant Women in Germany and How Well Informed?

“…We assume that the proven clinical benefits of exercise for mothers and their offspring are countered by a vague uneasiness about perceived possible risks. Many pregnant women express anxiety about exercising in pregnancy, mostly concerning the development of the unborn child, miscarriage and prematurity, injury and falls [35][36][37]. Currently available data, however, do not support these concerns for moderate exercise intensity.…”

“Just because you’re pregnant, doesn’t mean you’re sick!” A qualitative study of beliefs regarding physical activity in black South African women

“…On the other hand, our study supported the findings that increasing awareness could in fact be a facilitator for behaviour change, as women cited that they would more likely be active if they received information from their healthcare provider. A previous study by the author showed that as little as 19 % of South African medical practitioners provided information regarding physical activity during the prenatal visit [ 40 ]. Since pregnant women visit their healthcare provider on a regular basis, this may be an ideal opportunity to provide counselling and support that could improve physical activity levels [ 27 ].…”

Determinants of dietary and physical activity behaviours among women of reproductive age in urban sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

“…Studies also report inadequate capacity of health personnel (43,51) . For example, in South Africa, only 19 % of health workers provide PA-related information during antenatal visits (69) .…”