Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Sep:148:104523.
doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2025.104523. Epub 2025 Jul 15.

Supporting postpartum physical activity in maternity care: a co-creation study in Denmark

Solvej Videbæk Bueno  1 , Julie Sandell Jacobsen  2 , Rasmus Oestergaard Nielsen  3 , Per Kallestrup  3 , Knud Ryom  4
Affiliations
Free article

Supporting postpartum physical activity in maternity care: a co-creation study in Denmark

Solvej Videbæk Bueno et al. Midwifery. 2025 Sep.
Free article

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) contributes to maternal health. The postpartum period presents a window of opportunity to influence health behaviours, including establishing sound PA routines. Interdisciplinary coordination across the maternity care system is essential for timely, contextually relevant, and equitable postpartum PA support.

Aim: To co-create strategies for supporting postpartum PA in maternity care in Denmark.

Methods: The "PRODUCES+ framework" guided this two-phase co-creation study. Phase 1 involved three expert interviews and insights from scientific literature on postpartum PA. Phase 2 comprised two co-creation workshops with stakeholders representing postpartum women and various healthcare professionals (HCPs) from Danish maternity care. Data from both phases were analysed thematically.

Findings: Expert interviews (phase 1) revealed three themes: (i) approaches to discussing PA with postpartum women, (ii) roles and competencies of various HCPs in postpartum PA support, and (iii) interdisciplinary collaboration. In the workshops (phase 2), stakeholders identified two optimal time points for delivering PA support: during the third trimester and at two months postpartum. PA barriers were identified at the structural, interpersonal, and individual levels. Co-created strategies included (i) screening and early identification of needs, (ii) varying competencies and roles of HCPs, (iii) PA support arenas, (iv) motivation and engagement, and (v) national postpartum PA guidelines.

Conclusion: The findings of this study offer insight into embedding PA support in existing maternity healthcare touchpoints. Interdisciplinary coordination, targeted support for those most in need, and a shared professional understanding of postpartum PA are highlighted as important to strengthen postpartum PA support in maternity care.

Keywords: Denmark; Exercise; Intersectoral collaboration; Maternal behavior; Maternal health; Postpartum period.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to the submitted manuscript entitled 'Supporting postpartum physical activity in maternity care: a co-creation study in Denmark'.