Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Physical Activity Among Women Attending Antenatal Care Clinic

Background: It is a traditional behavior of pregnant women to decrease their physical activity due to their fear about their fetus, despite of the evidenced benefits of physical activity during pregnancy. Aim: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding physical activity among women attending antenatal care clinic. Design: This study employs a descriptive, cross-sectional research design. Settings: The study was conducted at antenatal care at Al- Azhr University Hospital in New Damietta City. Sample: A purposive sample of 300 pregnant women was recruited from the selected setting. Tools: Participants completed structured interviews using validated tools: a structured knowledge questionnaire, a structured attitude questionnaire, empowering factors scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form. Socio-demographic and obstetric data were also collected Results: Women enrolled in this study had unsatisfactory knowledge 61.0%, negative attitude 54.7%, expressed the importance of personal barriers/motivators (87.3%, 93.0%) respectively and 91.0 % of them do light exercises (sedentary). The majority of the participants had knowledge of walking exercises (85.0%) as part of physical activity during pregnancy but only (44.3%) of them had knowledge about pelvic floor exercise. Also, there was a significant correlation between knowledge and attitude (.123*), a strong significant negative correlation between knowledge and moderate exercise (-.208**). Conclusion: the majority of pregnant women had sedentary pattern of activity. Personal barriers were the main obstacles to physical activity. Therefore, antenatal education should emphasize counseling pregnant women about the physical activity and its benefits, and encourage them to practice. Recommendations: Antenatal health care programs should be designed to improve the mothers' awareness of physical activity during pregnancy. Education should be incorporated by physiotherapists and maternity health nursing.