Physical Activity Patterns and Factors Related to Exercise during Pregnancy: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

ObjectiveTo assess the physical activity levels of pregnant women and to examine the characteristics associated with the practice of exercise and the activities of daily living during pregnancy.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, 1,279 women were recruited within 72 hours postpartum. They were interviewed about their socio-demographic data and obstetric history and were administered self-report questionnaires about exercise and daily physical activities during pregnancy. Data on the current pregnancy, labor, delivery, and newborn outcomes were collected from participants’ medical records. To analyze factors related to the practice of exercise, we used the student t-test, X², and odds ratio (OR), with a corresponding 95% confident interval (CI), followed by a multiple logistic regression. The significance level was 5%.ResultsCompared to the pre-pregnancy period, the prevalence of physical activity among participants was lower throughout pregnancy (20.1%) (p = 0.01). Half of the women interrupted practicing physical exercise due to pregnancy. The lowest prevalence of exercise was observed in the first (13.6%) and third trimesters (13.4%). Less than half of women received exercise guidance during prenatal care meetings (47.4%). Walking was the most commonly reported exercise, followed by water aerobics. Factors positively associated with exercise practice were higher educational level (OR= 1.82; CI 95% 1.28–2.60), primiparity (OR=1.49; CI 95% 1.07–2.07), exercising before pregnancy (OR= 6.45; CI 95% 4.64–8.96), and exercise guidance during prenatal care (OR=2.54; CI 95% 1.80–3.57). Mildly intense exercise and domestic activities were most frequently reported among pregnant women. There were no differences in maternal and perinatal outcomes between active and sedentary pregnant women.ConclusionThe findings indicate that promoting physical activity remains a priority in public health policy, and women of childbearing age, especially those planning a pregnancy, should be encouraged to adopt an exercise routine or maintain an active lifestyle during pregnancy in order to avoid sedentary- and obesity-associated risks.

Physical Activity Patterns in Normal-Weight and Overweight/Obese Pregnant Women

“…Only a few previous studies have assessed PA patterns throughout gestation, with inconsistent findings [8,10,11,12,13,14,21]. These studies have reported either a progressive decrease in PA during pregnancy [8,11], or no change [10], or higher PA levels in the second than in the first or the third trimester of gestation [12,14].…”

“…These studies have reported either a progressive decrease in PA during pregnancy [8,11], or no change [10], or higher PA levels in the second than in the first or the third trimester of gestation [12,14]. Unfortunately, most studies are limited by the retrospective or the cross-sectional nature of data, and comparisons are constrained by differences in study design, time points of pregnancy, and social and ethnic characteristics of the populations under study.…”

“…Only a few studies have investigated the PA levels of pregnant women at each trimester of gestation, with mixed results [8,11,12,13,14]. Some studies have found a progressive decrease in PA across trimesters of gestation [8,11,13], whereas other studies have reported higher PA levels at the second trimester than at the first or the third ones [12,14]. Unfortunately, owing to the limitations of studies (in particular the retrospective or cross-sectional nature of most of them), differences in the time points of pregnancy in which data were collected, the heterogeneity in methods used to assess PA volume, and the different characteristics of subjects, any conclusions on these aspects are vague.…”

Fetal Hemodynamic Response to Maternal Isometric Exercise

“…In other samples, as many as 100% of pregnant women have reported being sedentary at 32 weeks of GA [13]. According to Nascimento et al, less than half of the women in their Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology sample received physical activity guidelines during prenatal care [15].…”

Nuevos sistemas de comunicación del método Pilates en embarazo y puerperio = New communications systems of Pilates Method in pregnancy and postpartum period

“…Choi et al afirman la necesidad de realizar más investigaciones sobre la efectividad del tratamiento del dolor lumbar, presente en las gestantes, mediante ejercicios como los de Pilates (Choi, Verbeek, Wai-San Tam, & Jiang, 2010). También estos ejercicios ayudan a la mujer a prevenir el sedentarismo y la obesidad (Nascimento, Surita, Godoy, Kasawara, & Morais, 2015).…”