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. 2024 Oct:40:1480-1486.
doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.07.034. Epub 2024 Jul 20.

Balance in obese and normal weight pregnant women: A longitudinal study

Natalia Ficagna  1 , Guilherme Auler Brodt  2 , Leticia Castilhos  3 , José Mauro Madi  4 , Rosa Maria Rahmi  5
Affiliations

Balance in obese and normal weight pregnant women: A longitudinal study

Natalia Ficagna et al. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024 Oct.

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy's physiological changes and weight gain can decrease balance control, increasing the risk of falls and impacting quality of life. The effect of obesity on balance control in pregnant women needs further investigation.

Objective: Investigate the effect of obesity during pregnancy on center of pressure (COP) control under sensory disturbances at different gestational age.

Methods: The COP (95% ellipse area, mean velocity and total length) of 23 pregnant women classified as normal weight (CG: n = 12) and obese (OG: n = 11) was evaluated at three gestational-age week times (T1 = 16th, T2 = 24th, T3 = 32nd week) on a force platform on standing position (SP) and under three disturbances: 1) visual disturbance (eyes closed), 2) proprioceptive disturbance (over an unstable surface) and, 3) vestibular disturbance (head movement). A mixed ANOVA (3 repeated measures vs. 2 groups) and LSD post-hoc was applied to examine main effects and interactions. Effect sizes were assessed using generalized eta squared (η2).

Results: As main effect, in SP, COP area increased from T2 to T3 for both groups (P = 0.021, η2 = 0.193). One interaction was observed, under visual disturbance, the area increased from T2 to T3 only in the CG group (P = 0.020, η2 = 0.195).

Conclusion: The progression of pregnancy negatively impacts postural stability throughout its course. Visual disturbance only affected the balance of the CG. Hence, obesity combined with pregnancy does not appear to alter COP variables.

Keywords: Balance; Obesity; Pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors of this work declare that they have no financial or personal relationships with any individuals or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. This includes any financial interests, such as stocks or patents, or personal relationships, such as employment or consultancy arrangements. We acknowledge the importance of transparency and objectivity in research, and we have taken all necessary measures to ensure that our work is conducted in an unbiased and impartial manner. We have disclosed any potential conflicts of interest to the best of our knowledge and have taken appropriate steps to address them. We believe that the results of our work are reliable and valid, and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and ethics in all aspects of our research. We are open to any questions or concerns regarding our declaration of interest statement and will provide any additional information if necessary.