What is the effect of supervised group exercise on maternal psychological outcomes and common pregnancy complaints?: A randomized controlled trial
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: Background: Being pregnant is followed by several physiological changes and\npregnancy symptoms, which have the potential to reduce quality of life and well-being\nfor pregnant women. To date, there is scant knowledge about the effect of regular\nexercise in relation to maternal psychological outcomes and common pregnancy\ncomplaints. Hence, the purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of\nsupervised group exercise on psychological outcomes including well-being, quality of\nlife, body-image and pregnancy depression, as well as on commonly reported pregnancy\ncomplaints.\nMethod: This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. One hundred and five\npreviously sedentary primiparous women, mean age 30.7 ± 4 years, were randomized to\nan exercise group (n=52) or a control group (n=53). The exercise intervention consisted\nof twelve weeks of supervised group exercise including cardiovascular and strength\ntraining, performed twice a week for 12 weeks, starting at mean gestation week 17.7\n(SD 4.2). Women in the exercise group were also asked to include 30 minutes of selfimposed\nphysical activity on the remaining weekdays. The control group received usual\npre-natal care and was neither encouraged to nor discouraged from exercising. Outcome\nmeasures were assessed through standardized interviews pre- and post-intervention, and\nincluded psychological variables related to well-being, quality of life, body image and\npregnancy depression, as well as number of women reporting of common pregnancy\ncomplaints.\nResults: Significant differences regarding psychological outcomes in favor of the\nexercise group were found for fatigue, health satisfaction and negative feelings\n(sadness, despair, anxiety or depression). Contrary, the control group reported higher\nenjoyment with life. With respect to pregnancy complaints, fewer women in the\nexercise group reported nausea/vomiting and numbness/circulation problems, compared\nto the control group. Adherence rates showed that it was difficult to motivate sedentary\npregnant women to participate in regular exercise.\nConclusion: Participation in supervised group exercise contributed to improvements in\nsome variables related to maternal well-being and quality of life, as well as reductions\nin two common pregnancy complaints.
Author: Beate Torset
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2467632772