Research Institute for Sport & Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 26;19(17):10635. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191710635.
Exercise during pregnancy presents many benefits for the mother and baby. Yet, pregnancy is characterised by a decrease in exercise. Studies have reported barriers to antenatal exercise. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have further exacerbated barriers to antenatal exercise as pregnant females faced many challenges. Rich, in-depth exploration into pregnant female's perceived barriers to antenatal exercise during COVID-19 is imperative. Questionnaires reporting physical activity levels were completed by all participants ( = 14). Semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2020 and May 2021 in the UK. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis and revealed four main themes: 'Perceptions of being an active person shaping activity levels in pregnancy', 'How do I know what is right? Uncertainty, seeking validation and feeling informed', 'Motivators to antenatal exercise' and 'A process of adaptations and adjustment'. Findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated barriers to antenatal exercise and highlight the importance of direct psychosocial support and clear, trustworthy information. Findings also support the fundamental need for better education amongst healthcare professionals regarding antenatal exercise.
怀孕期间运动对母亲和婴儿都有很多好处。然而，怀孕的特点是运动减少。研究报告了产前运动的障碍。冠状病毒（COVID-19）大流行可能进一步加剧了产前运动的障碍，因为孕妇面临着许多挑战。深入探讨 COVID-19 期间孕妇对产前运动的感知障碍至关重要。所有参与者（= 14）都完成了报告身体活动水平的问卷。2020 年 11 月至 2021 年 5 月在英国进行了半结构式访谈。使用主题分析对访谈进行了分析，结果揭示了四个主要主题：“作为一个积极的人的观念塑造了怀孕期间的活动水平”、“我怎么知道什么是对的？不确定性、寻求验证和感到知情”、“产前运动的动机”和“适应和调整的过程”。研究结果表明，COVID-19 大流行加剧了产前运动的障碍，并强调了直接的社会心理支持和清晰、值得信赖的信息的重要性。研究结果还支持了医疗保健专业人员在产前运动方面接受更好教育的基本需求。
