Physical Activity in Work and Leisure Time during Pregnancy, and Its Influence on Maternal Health and Perinatal Outcomes

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity during pregnancy has been shown to be linked to an increased risk of complications. However, during pregnancy, doubts arise about what type, intensity and frequency of physical activity are most recommended.

Objective: Our main objective was to know the level of physical activity (PA) and sedentary lifestyle in a representative sample of pregnant women in Málaga, one of the most populated cities in Spain. Also, we aimed to find out the effects of PA on obstetric and perinatal outcomes and on the mental health of pregnant women, differentiated according to PA intensity and domain.

Methods: Five hundred and forty full-term pregnant women who had their obstetric checks in the maternity ward of the Regional University Hospital of Málaga were recruited through consecutive sampling. Participants answered a questionnaire that included the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ), the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) and some other sociodemographic and health-related questions. Subsequently, information about perinatal outcomes was obtained after birth.

Results: Only 50.8% of women followed the WHO recommendations on activity. We found a high proportion of obese pregnant women and a direct effect of a sedentary lifestyle on the rate of cesarean sections and vulvovaginal tears in spontaneous births, as well as on the mental health of future mothers. Women's age, the number of children, BMI at the beginning of pregnancy and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) explained anxiety scores, and age, LTPA, BMI at the end of pregnancy and intense work-related physical activity (WTPA) predicted depression scores.

Conclusions: LTPA improves obstetric outcomes, helping to reduce the rate of cesarean sections and vulvovaginal tears, as well as reducing prenatal anxiety and depression.

Keywords: leisure time; perinatal outcomes; physical activity; pregnancy; sedentary lifestyle; worktime.