Postpartum Exercise among Nigerian Women: Issues Relating to Exercise Performance and Self-Efficacy

Abstract

Physical exercise during postpartum period is beneficial to mothers, and the health gains are abundantly reported. This study characterises the postpartum exercise profile of a group of Nigerian women and reports how their exercise self-efficacies are influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were women attending the two largest postnatal clinics in Ibadan, south-western Nigeria. A self-developed questionnaire assessed the socio-demographic and exercise profile of participants, while the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale assessed their exercise self-efficacy. About two-third (61.0%) of the participants were not aware that they could undertake physical exercise to enhance postpartum health, and 109 (47.8%) were not engaged in any exercise. Those who exercised did so for less than three days/week, and 89% of the women did not belong to any exercise support group. Exercise self-efficacy was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with being in an exercise programme, age, employment, work hours/week, monthly income, and number of pregnancies. Most of the women were not aware they could engage in postpartum exercise, and about half were not undertaking it. More women with high compared to moderate exercise self-efficacy undertook the exercise. Efforts at increasing awareness, improving exercise self-efficacy and adoption of postpartum exercise are desirable among the Nigerian women.

Practice and Pattern of Antenatal and Postnatal Exercise among Nigerian Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Nonetheless, this finding may be an indication of a paradigm shift in attitude towards exercise in pregnancy and postpartum period. Anecdotal observation in the study environment is in agreement with previous submissions that acceptance of modern antenatal care, engagement in exercise and delivery care among pregnant women from Africa is inhibited by cultural myths, traditional beliefs and misperceptions (27)(28)(29)(30). Many cultures in Africa, based on fatalistic views observe taboos during pregnancy and postpartum.…”

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

“…Four studies were from Kenya (26) , Tanzania (21) , Senegal (25) and Cameroon (20) . Studies on PA were from South Africa (23,37,(42)(43)(44)(45)(46) , Nigeria (47,48) and Cameroon (20) .…”

“…Components of PA studied included: PA pattern (44,45,48) , PA beliefs (23,37) , PA knowledge and socio-cultural barriers (20,46) and experiences of PA during pregnancy and postpartum (42,43,47) . Qualitative studies uncovered more of knowledge, attitude and socio-cultural mediators, while cross-sectional studies reported on majorly socio-economic determinants.…”

“…Awareness. Seven studies reported key determinants of PA as being knowledge/awareness of PA recommendations, its health benefits and how one might engage in PA (20,23,37,42,43,46,47) .…”

The Effect of Exercise on Postpartum Women’s Quality of Life: A Systematic Review

“…In addition, changes in sleep inefficiency associated with physical symptoms after 12 weeks of gymnastics training decreased significantly after aerobic exercise (Yang & Chen, 2018). In general, physical exercise has been well documented to be important and beneficial to overall women's health during the postpartum period (Adeniyi, Ogwumike, & Bamikefa, 2013;Daley, Jolly, & MacArthur, 2009).…”