The effect of exercise training and motivational counselling on physical activity behaviour and psychosocial factors in pregnant women: secondary analyses of the FitMum randomised controlled trial investigating prenatal physical activity

Signe de Place Knudsen*, Caroline Borup Roland, Saud Abdulaziz Alomairah, Anne Dsane Jessen, Helle Terkildsen Maindal, Jane M. Bendix, Tine D. Clausen, Ellen Løkkegaard, Bente Stallknecht, Stig Molsted

*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

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Abstract

Background: A physically active lifestyle is beneficial during pregnancy. However, little is known about physical activity (PA) behaviour and psychosocial factors in women during and after pregnancy. This study examined exercise behavioural regulation, exercise self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, sickness absence and musculoskeletal pain in pregnant women offered either structured supervised exercise training, motivational counselling on PA, or standard prenatal care in the FitMum randomised controlled trial. Methods: Two hundred and eighteen healthy inactive pregnant women were randomised to structured supervised exercise training (n = 87), motivational counselling on PA (n = 86) or standard prenatal care (n = 45). The women answered the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2), the Pregnancy Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (P-ESES-DK) and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) at baseline (gestational age (GA) of max 15 weeks), GA 28 and 34 weeks, and one year after delivery. Sickness absence and low back and/or pelvic girdle pain were likewise reported in questionnaires at baseline and GA 28 weeks. Results: Participants offered structured supervised exercise training or motivational counselling on PA had higher autonomous motivation for exercise during pregnancy compared with participants receiving standard prenatal care (e.g., difference in intrinsic regulation at GA 28 weeks, structured supervised exercise training vs. standard prenatal care: mean difference in score 0.39 [0.16; 0.64], p < 0.001). Participants offered structured supervised exercise training also had higher exercise self-efficacy during pregnancy (e.g., GA 28 weeks, structured supervised exercise training vs. standard prenatal care: mean difference in score 6.97 [2.05; 12.02], p = 0.005). All participants reported high exercise self-efficacy at baseline and medium exercise self-efficacy during pregnancy and one year after delivery. No differences were found between groups in health-related quality of life, sickness absence or low back and/or pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy. No group differences were found one year after delivery. Conclusion: Structured supervised exercise training and motivational counselling on PA had important effects on autonomous exercise motivation during pregnancy. Exercise self-efficacy was also increased with structured supervised exercise training compared to standard prenatal care. No group differences in health-related quality of life, sickness absence, or pain were found during and after pregnancy. No effects were found one year post-delivery after intervention cessation. Trial registration: The study was approved by the Danish National Committee on Health Research Ethics (#H-18011067) and the Danish Data Protection Agency (#P-2019–512). The study adheres to the principles of the Helsinki declaration. Written informed consent was obtained at inclusion.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Artikelnummer92
TidsskriftBMC Public Health
Vol/bind24
Udgave nummer1
Sider (fra-til)1-14
ISSN1471-2458
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2024

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge all women participating in the FitMum trial and thank the Department of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy and the Clinical Research Unit, Department of Clinical Research, Copenhagen University Hospital—North Zealand for hosting the FitMum trial interventions.

Funding Information:
Open access funding provided by Copenhagen University The FitMum trial was funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark (8020-00353B), TrygFonden (128509), Copenhagen Center for Health Technology (061017), Beckett-Fonden (17–2-0883), Aase and Ejnar Danielsens Fond (10–002052), and Familien Hede Nielsens Fond (2017–1142). In addition, funding was provided by the University of Copenhagen and Copenhagen University Hospital—North Zealand.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).

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