Revista de Saúde Pública (Apr 2012)

Atividade física durante a gestação e associação com indicadores de saúde materno-infantil Actividad física durante la gestación y asociación con indicadores de salud materno-infantil Physical activity during pregnancy and its association with maternal and child health indicators

  • Samuel C Dumith,
  • Marlos R Domingues,
  • Raul A Mendoza-Sassi,
  • Juraci A Cesar

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 46, no. 2
pp. 327 – 333

Abstract

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OBJETIVO: Analisar fatores associados à prática de atividade física durante a gestação e sua relação com indicadores de saúde materno-infantil. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado com todos os nascimentos ocorridos em maternidades no município de Rio Grande, RS, durante o ano de 2007 (N = 2.557). As informações foram obtidas por entrevista, por meio de um questionário pré-codificado aplicado às mães. Os desfechos de saúde materno-infantil analisados foram: hospitalização durante a gravidez, parto por cesárea, prematuridade (idade gestacional menor de 37 semanas), baixo peso ao nascer (OBJETIVO: Analizar factores asociados con la práctica de actividad física durante la gestación y su relación con indicadores de salud materno-infantil. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal realizado con todos los nacimientos ocurridos en maternidades en el municipio de Rio Grande, Sur de Brasil, durante el año 2007 (N=2.557). Las informaciones fueron obtenidas por entrevista, por medio de un cuestionario pre-codificado aplicado a las madres. Los desenlaces de salud materno-infantil analizados fueron: hospitalización durante el embarazo, parto por cesárea, prematuridad (edad gestacional menor de 37 semanas), bajo peso al nacer (OBJECTIVE: To analyze factors associated with the practice of physical activity during pregnancy and its relationship to maternal and child health indicators. METHODS: Cross-sectional study carried out with all births that occurred at maternity hospitals in the municipality of Rio Grande (Southern Brazil) during the year of 2007 (N = 2,557). Information was collected through interviews, by means of a pre-coded questionnaire administered to the mothers. The analyzed maternal and child health outcomes were: hospitalization during pregnancy, cesarean delivery, preterm birth (gestational age < 37 weeks), low birth weight (< 2500g), and fetal death. RESULTS: A total of 32.8% of mothers (95%CI 31.0;34.6) reported having practiced physical activity during pregnancy. The factors associated with practice of physical activity during pregnancy, after adjusting for potential confounders, were: maternal age (inverse association), level of schooling (direct association), mother's first pregnancy, having received prenatal care, and having been instructed in physical activity during prenatal care. Women who practiced physical activity during pregnancy were less likely to deliver surgically and to have a stillbirth. There was no association between physical activity and preterm birth, hospitalization, and low birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: Only one third of mothers reported having practiced physical activity during pregnancy. This behavior was more frequent among younger women with higher level of schooling who were advised during prenatal care. Women who practiced physical activity during pregnancy had fewer cesarean sections and lower occurrence of stillbirths.

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