Meeting physical activity guidelines and its association with health-related quality of life throughout pregnancy: the PregnActive project

ABSTRACT

Pregnancy is a unique period in women life, characterized by anatomical and metabolic variation that may affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Physical activity has the potential to positively influence HRQoL. The aim of this study is to analyze the association between the fulfillment of physical activity guidelines and HRQoL throughout pregnancy. Seventy-eight pregnant women were assessed at two time point through their pregnancy: at mid- and at later-pregnancy. Physical activity was objectively assessed by a multi-sensor monitor and pregnant women were categorized by the fulfillment of the minimum physical activity recommendations: at least 30 minutes/day on at least 5 days/week. Perceived mental health was evaluated by health-related quality of life and by psychological pregnancy symptoms, using the SF-36 and the Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory, respectively. T-Student Test and hierarchical multiple linear regressions analysis was developed. Pregnant women who fulfilled physical activity recommendations reported better mental HRQoL both at mid-pregnancy (p = 0.148) and later-pregnancy (p = 0.007). The number of days meeting minimum physical activity recommendations contributes to better mental HRQoL and together with depression and anxiety symptoms the model explain the 65% of the mental HRQoL at later pregnancy. Meeting the minimum physical activity recommendations is associated with better perceived health at both midpregnancy and later pregnancy. While mental HRQoL is explained by physical activity, physical HRQoL is explained by others factors such as age or pregnancy-related symptoms, but not by meeting the minimum physical activity recommendations.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• perceived health
• health-related quality of life
• pregnancy

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge all women for their collaboration. We also acknowledge the antenatal health clinic members from Utrera Hospital involved in the recruitment for their effort and great enthusiasm.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Contribution to authorship

All authors approved the manuscript. M.A. Oviedo-Caro and D. Munguía-Izquierdo designed the study and planned the data collection. All authors were responsible for the acquisition of the data. M.A. Oviedo-Caro and D. Munguía-Izquierdo performed the statistical analyses and wrote the manuscript. All authors provided critical review of the manuscript and approved the final version.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

The study was funded by Research Group CTS-948 of University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain and European University of Madrid, Cátedra Real Madrid, Spain (funding project number P2017/RM08), this funding included material and equipment for the research. There was no external financial support. M.A.O. is supported by the Departamento de Innovación, Investigación y Universidad del Gobierno de Aragón y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional – Programa Operativo FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 ‘Construyendo Europa desde Aragón’ (reference number PUI/2018-336). J.B. is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education (grant number FPU13/05130) and by the Departamento de Innovación, Investigación y Universidad del Gobierno de Aragón y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional – Programa Operativo FEDER Aragón 2014-2020 ‘Construyendo Europa desde Aragón’ (reference number PUI/2018-337). D.M. is supported by the Biomedical Research Networking Center on Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES) and FEDER funds from the European Union (reference number CB16/10/00477).