A Comparative Study of Sleep Disturbances and Physical Activity Patterns among Primigravida and Multigravida Women during the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Background: Pregnancy often brings substantial changes in sleep patterns and physical activity, which are essential for both maternal and fetal health. Parity may influence these factors differently, yet comparative data between primigravida and multigravida women remain limited. Purpose: To compare between sleep disturbances and daily physical activities among primigravida and multigravida. Design: a descriptive comparative design was employed. Sample: a purposive sample of 156 primigravida and 156 multigravida women. Setting: Maternal and Child Health Centers in Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Instruments: socio-demographic characteristics and obstetric history, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index for sleep disturbances and the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: Multigravida women had longer sleep duration compared to primigravida, with 60.9% sleeping 7–9 hours versus 30.1% of primigravida. Severe sleep disturbance was more common among multigravida (39%), while moderate disturbance predominated in primigravida (84.6%). Multigravida women had64.7% moderate activity compared to (70.5%) in primigravida. Multigravida women had higher rates of severe sleep disturbance. Conclusion: Parity affects sleep and activity in multigravida have longer sleep but more severe disturbances and workload. Recommendations: Tailored education about sleep hygiene and stress management should be offered, safe physical activity should be promoted.