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PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXERCISE PARTICIPATION DURATION OF ANTENATAL MOTHERS 1 1-3
MOSES, M.O*, 2DONKOH, S., 3UMAR, M. & 4FALOLA, K.O
Department of Sports and Exercise Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. *Email:
[email protected],
[email protected] Tel: +233547336905 Email (2&3):
[email protected], +233247404572;
[email protected], +233243109024 4
Federal Science and Technical College, Ijebu-Imusin, Ogun State, Nigeria. 4Email:
[email protected] Tel: +2348029186108
ABSTRACT This study assessed the duration of physical activities and exercises (PAE) participation of women attending five antenatal care services in Ghana. Descriptive survey method was used. Six hundred mothers, between 12-32 weeks of gestation, able to speak and read Twi, Hausa, English luaguages and without record of major medical or obstetric complications were recruited using convenience sampling technique. A structured and validated questionnaire designed to elicit self-reported reponse on the time spent during PAE per day was used. The instrument has test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.82. Data collected were subjected to descriptive analysis using frequency counts and percentages. Results showed that 534 (89.0%) were between 18-37years, 429(71.5%) were aware of the importance of PAE. 288(48.0%) spent ½ to almost 2hours for dressing, bathing, feeding children while sitting. 246 (41.0%) spent less than ½ hour dressing, bathing, feeding children while standing. 390 (65.0%) usually spend 1 to more than 3hours watching television or video. 348 (58.0%) usually spend ½ to almost 3hours sitting reading/talking on the phone while not at work. 360 (60.0%) spent ½ to almost 3 hours on light cleaning of laundry, iron and put things away. 534 (89.0%) spent ½ to more than 3 hours shopping for food, clothes and other items. 456 (76.0%) usually spent less than 1 hour engaging in heavier cleaning (vacuum, mop, sweep, wash windows). 378 (63.0%) spent ½ to almost 3 hours driving a car or bus. 222 (37.0%) usually spend less than ½ hour walking slowly for fun or exercise. Antenatal mothers do not spend more time on PAE to prevent health problems. PAE participation campaigns should be designed for antenatal mothers and implementation supervised to promote their participation level. Specific policies and strategies for antenatal mothers placing emphasis on importance of PAE participation levels are needed. Keywords: PAE, Duration, Antenatal mothers, Attending OPD, 12-32 weeks of gestation Volume 2 2015 Issue 4 JUNE-JULY AIJCSR
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has been insinuation that very large number of them are
INTRODUCTION During
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pregnancy a woman‟s body undergoes complex
physiological changes of such magnitude
unaware of the need for antenatal
exercises, which is
demanded by
considered as an important aspect in antenatal period.
fetus (Ouzounian and Elkayam, 2012;
There is also a „myth‟ (especially in rural areas), that “the
Silversides and Colman, 2011). Meaningful participation in
pregnant women are not supposed to do exercises in
Physical activity and exercise (PAE) has been seen as
their first trimester, because it leads to miscarriage.” This
antidote to many health risk conditions including pregnancy
culturally inclined misinformation continued to increase
and
two
stillbirths, assisted deliveries and maternal deaths among
important milestones in a woman‟s life (CDC, 2011). PAE
non-elite antenatal Ghanaian women. To curb the menace,
have occupational and leisure bases that includes both active
healthcare providers have continued to intensify campaign
recreational pursuit like brisk walking, hill climbing,
that PAE is required for antenatal women especially
swimming, squats, jogging, or other active pastimes like
between 12th and 32nd week in order to reduce the pelvic
gardening, mowing, washing clothes with hands, sweeping
girdle pain and recover from minor disorders during
of rooms and offices, preparing of meals , playing with pets,
pregnancy. As long as this campaign last, it is expected to
just
examine the length of time spent on PAE activities which is
a
growing
child
to
birth
mention
a
few
that
are
(Karageorghis,
Vencato,
Chatzisarantis, and Carron, 2005).
the concerned of the study.
PAE plays an important role in the maintenance of a healthy life style. The goal of prenatal exercise is to adjust
METHODOLOGY
the body so that it can better carry the load of
The study adopted descriptive research of the survey type.
pregnancy. Most women benefit greatly
from exercising
The population consisted of all antenatal mothers in Kumasi,
these exercises are
Ghana. The sample for the study was six hundred (600)
called antenatal exercises for example transverses exercises,
antenatal mothers drawn from five purposively sampled
pelvic tilting or rocking, pelvic floor exercise, foot and leg
antenatal care service centers. Convenience sampling
exercises, breathing exercise, walking and aerobics (Artal,
technique was used to select the sample who were pregnant
Clapp and Vigil, n.d.). Accoording to the 2008 Physical
mothers
Activity Guidelines for American, healthy women who are
outpatient
not already highly active or doing vigorous-intensity activity
Twi, Hausa and English moderately and without any medical
should get at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of
or obstertric complications to present pregnancy. Permission
moderate-intensity aerobic activity per
week during
of the concerned antenatal care centers was sought and all
pregnancy and the postpartum period(U.S. Secretary of
the antenatal mothers who participated in the study signed
Health and Human Services, 2008). Spending recommended
informed consent form.
throughout
their pregnancies and
time (expected duration) on PAE participation during
between
12-32 weeks of gestation,
department,
able
to
speak
attending and
read
A self-designed physical activity and exercise (PAE)
pregnancy is attributed to decreased risk of preeclampsia
participation
(Chambliss et al., 2006), preterm birth (Jukic, Evenson,
instrument sought for age, education and occupation of the
Daniels, Herring, Wilcox and Hartmann, 2013) and
antenatal mothers. It as well elicited response on number of
incidence of postpartum depression. It helps to facilitate
hours spent engaging in different type of physical activity
labor process to some extent. It also helps to avoid
and exercise: Preparing Meals (cook, set table, wash dishes);
complications
Dressing, bathing and feeding children; Playing with
like
edema,
varicose
vein,
supine
duration
questionnaire
was
used.
The
hypotension, gestational diabetes (Nyarko etal, 2006).
Children; watching television or video; sitting and reading,
It is not staying for long on PAE that relay counts but using
talking on the phone while not at work; light cleaning of
required duration meaningfully and efficiently will ensure
laundry, iron and put things away; shopping for food,
significant change. One may need to ask how will Ghanaian
clothes and other items; engaging in heavier cleaning
antenatal mothers engaged in meaningful PAE when there
(vacuum, mop, sweep, wash windows); driving a car or bus;
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and walking slowly for fun or exercise. The instrument was
A total of 600 antenatal mothers served as sample for the
validated by experts in physical activities and exercises.
study. Of this, 534(89.0%) were between ages 18-37years,
Cronbach alpha was used for test-retest reliability that
222 (37.0%) have not attended school, 351(58.5%) were
produced coefficient of 0.80. Data were entered into excel
traders and 123(20.5%) do not know the first day of their
for descriptive statistics and charts analysis.
last menstruation. Of the total, 429(71.5%) were aware of
RESULTS
the importance of exercise during pregnancy.
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DISCUSSION
For the mother, emotional stress, cardiovascular (high blood
Figure 1 revealed that most of the respondents (222, 37.0%)
pressure and obesity) and inactivity related diseases are
spent one to two hours preparing meals daily every week.
reduced while quality of life is enhanced. On the part of the
This implies that seven to fourteen hours of these
children, sense of belonging, self-confidence, good affinity
respondents were spent weekly on meal preparation. From
and cognitive strengthening will be enhanced.
figure 2, 246 (41.0%) spent half an hour less daily every
Figure 3 indicated that majority of the respondents (426,
week for dressing, bathing and feeding children.
71.0%) do not spend time caring for older adult. Caring for
The implication of this is that less than three and half hours
the elderly could be tasking but the task therein could result
were weekly spent by majority of the respondents on
into awareness of the latter‟s needs. An understanding of
children hygiene and feeding. It also showed that
individuals needs can easily limit emotional stress of not
228(38.0%) spent no time playing with their children as
knowing what is happening or what to do. From figure 4, of
against 84 (14.0%) who spent one hour and above playing
the 600 respondents for the study, only 120(20.0%) spent
with children. The inference from this is that majority of the
more than half an hour daily using computer/writing as
antenatal mothers (516, 86.0%) might been experiencing
against 390(65.0%) who usually spent ½ an hour to three
difficult circumstances at home. Playing with children has
hours sitting reading or talking on the phone while not at
dimensional reimbursement to both mother and children. Volume 2 2015 Issue 4 JUNE-JULY AIJCSR
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work. This is not surprising given the low percentage of
mothers and implementation supervised to promote their
educated individuals among the sample.
participation level. Specific policies and strategies for
Analysis in figure 5 showed that 360(60.0%) of the
antenatal mothers placing emphasis on importance of PAE
respondents usually spend one to three hours on light
participation levels are needed.
cleaning activities (laundry, iron, put things away) as against 216(36.0%) who spent the same time on heavier cleaning (vacuum, mop, sweep, wash windows). This will increase oxygen consumption level and invariably argument fetus nutrients of the few concerned ones. The charts in figure 6 revealed that 150(25.0%) of the respondents usually spend 1 to 2hours walking slowly to places of work, 198 (33.0%) spent less than half an hour walking quickly to places of work and 156 (26.0%) spent one to two hours driving to
Acknowledgement Authors gratefully acknowledge all the antenatal mothers who volunteerily submitted themselves for the study. We also appreciate the support and cooperation of the administrative and nursing staff of all the hospitals visited. REFERENCES [1]
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