Physical activity during pregnancy – literature review

Mazur Karol, Machaj Dominik, Mazur Dominika. Physical activity during pregnancy – literature review. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2020;10(1):11-15. eISSN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2020.10.01.001

https://apcz.umk.pl/czasopisma/index.php/JEHS/article/view/JEHS.2020.10.01.001

https://zenodo.org/record/3605706

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© The Authors 2019;

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 Received: 20.12.2019. Revised: 25.12.2019. Accepted: 13.01.2020.

Physical activity during pregnancy – literature review

Mazur Karol, Machaj Dominik, Mazur Dominika

Karol Mazur, mazurkarol79@gmail.com, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 19 Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland

Dominik Machaj, dominik5a4@tlen.pl, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Chodźki 19 Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland

Dominika Mazur dominika.hul20@gmail.com, Medical Faculty, University of Rzeszow, Pigonia Street 6, 35-310 Rzeszow, Poland

Summary:

Physical activity is one of the basics elements of a healthy lifestyle. Pregnancy is a unique state of physiologic stress which necessitates physical, mental, and social adaptation. Physical activity has significant influence on health of pregnant women. the most important benefits of physical exercising during pregnancy are: preparation for labor effort and reduction of the duration of the labor. The form of the physical activity should be consulted with the midwife or gynecologist, that will choose adequate exercises to the need and possibilities of the pregnant woman. The aim of this study was to evaluate meaning of the physical activity during pregnancy for the women.

The status of women’s knowledge about physical exercises in pregnancy is unsatisfactory. The internet is the main source of information about physical activity during pregnancy for pregnant women. There is significant correlation between the awareness of meaning of physical activity during pregnancy and the age, education, attending on childbirth education classes   or education of pregnant women. The level of knowledge about meaning of physical activity during pregnancy, time of beginning the exercising, their frequency and the type, contraindications is high in the group of women over 30 years old, married, with high level of education, multiparas and those who attended childbirth education classes. Physical activity during pregnancy is often determined by gestational age, course of pregnancy and exercising before pregnancy. Unfortunately many women stop physical exercising during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. Main reasons to stop physical exercising are: general feeling of being unwell, medical recommendations, and symptoms related to pregnancy. The most adequate sports for pregnant women are: swimming, yoga, pilates and gymnastics, that are often organized in childbirth education classes Also many pregnant women don’t consulate physical exercising during pregnancy with the gynecologist or midwife.

Key words: pregnancy; physical activity; physical exercising, physical activity during pregnancy;