scholarly journals Asia-Pacific consensus on physical activity and exercise in pregnancy and the postpartum period

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e000967
Author(s):  
Ryan Lee ◽  
Serene Thain ◽  
Lay Kok Tan ◽  
Terry Teo ◽  
Kok Hian Tan

Physical activity and exercise in pregnancy are generally beneficial and enhance the physical and mental health of women. These benefits also prevent excessive weight gain and reduce risks of obesity in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, higher rates of caesarean delivery, macrosomia and stillbirth. Thus, there is a need to optimise perinatal exercise and physical activity globally. There is currently no consensus recommendation on the role of physical activity and exercise in pregnancy and the postpartum period in the Asia-Pacific region. In this paper, we present seven key consensus recommendations on physical activity and exercise in pregnancy and the postpartum period by 18 key members representing 10 countries in Asia-Pacific regions during an international workshop of the AsiaDiabetes in Pregnancy Conference in Singapore on 11–12 January 2020. Through these consensus recommendations, we hope to improve the metabolic health of pregnant women living in Asia-Pacific regions by educating the public and guiding healthcare professionals on the safety and importance of physical exercise and activity to benefit pregnant women and after childbirth.

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 519-525
Author(s):  
Ioannis Tsakiridis ◽  
Dimitra Rafailia Bakaloudi ◽  
Artemis Christina Oikonomidou ◽  
Themistoklis Dagklis ◽  
Michail Chourdakis

AbstractExercise during pregnancy may be beneficial provided that there are no contraindications. The aim of this study was to summarize and compare recommendations regarding exercise in pregnancy. Thus, a comparative descriptive review was conducted and included guidelines by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. All compared guidelines recommend that pregnant women without contraindications should undertake physical activities regularly, however, the type of workout performed should be adjusted based on the previous exercise experience and the physical condition of each pregnant woman. A variation among the reviewed guidelines was identified on appropriate and inappropriate activities and on indications to interrupt exercise. To summarize, the adoption of an international up-to-date consensus regarding appropriate exercise during pregnancy may be beneficial in ensuring the safety of the pregnant women while promoting their physical and mental health.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Szumilewicz ◽  
Aneta Worska ◽  
Natalia Rajkowska ◽  
Rita Santos-Rocha

Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy has a positive effect on the psychophysical condition of the pregnant woman, pregnancy and fetal development, parturition and the postpartum period. However, its level in pregnant women is insufficient in most countries. For an exercise program to be effective it must take into account four training components: intensity, frequency, duration and its content - through a proper selection of the type of exercises and their technique. In this work we aimed to answer the question what information on the contents of prenatal exercises is provided in the current guidelines for exercise during pregnancy in different countries. Methods and Results: We have analyzed 11 documents, that were the official position of national obstetrics, gynecology, or sports medicine institutions from 7 countries. The guidelines provide little information on the contents of prenatal exercise and on the adaptation of sports activities to pregnancy. Conclusions: The guidelines for exercise in pregnancy should be updated based on high-quality research and in collaboration with practitioners in the field of prenatal physical activity, which could increase the chances of their implementation. Trustworthy and comprehensive guidelines created on the basis of international and interdisciplinary initiatives should be disseminated among all interested in prenatal physical activity: pregnant women and their families, obstetrics care providers and exercise professionals to enable them an effective cooperation and to globally promote exercise in pregnancy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 71-84
Author(s):  
O. V. Prokhorova ◽  
A. A. Olina

The paper considers modern ideas on prenatal physical activity, presents an analysis of the effects of systematic physical exercises on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, as well as on the psychological state of puerperas. The existing recommendations of the international professional communities on the issues of physical activity of pregnant women are highlighted and analyzed. The basic conditions, indications and contraindications for exercise at different gestational periods are outlined. Understanding of the benefits of adequate motor activity during pregnancy and their proper use is associated with an increase in the proportion of favorable obstetric and perinatal outcomes.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 609
Author(s):  
Uchenna Benedine Okafor ◽  
Daniel Ter Goon

Background: Despite scientific evidence on prenatal physical activity and exercise, synthesized evidence is lacking on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers. The scoping review seeks to fill this gap by synthesizing available literature on the provision of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice and counselling by prenatal healthcare providers to women during antenatal visits. Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) search framework for scoping reviews was applied to retrieve original research articles on the prenatal physical activity and exercise practices of healthcare providers with pregnant women, published between 2010–2020, and available in English. The search databases included Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, EMBASE, The Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), BIOMED Central, Medline and African Journal Online. Studies that fulfilled the eligibility criteria were retrieved for analysis. Results: Out of the 82 articles that were retrieved for review, 13 met the eligibility criteria. Seven of the articles were quantitative, four qualitative, one mixed-method and one controlled, non-randomised study, respectively. Three themes emerged as major findings. Healthcare providers affirmed their responsibility in providing prenatal physical activity advice and counselling to pregnant women; however, they seldom or rarely performed this role. Major barriers to prenatal physical activity and exercise included insufficient time, lack of knowledge and skills, inadequate or insufficient training, and lack of resources. Conclusion: This review highlights salient features constraining the uptake of prenatal physical activity and exercise advice/counselling by prenatal healthcare providers in both community and clinical settings. Prenatal physical activity advice and counselling are key components to the promotion of physical activity adherence during and post-partum pregnancy; this requires adequate knowledge of physical activity prescriptions and recommendations, which are personalised and contextual to environment. Research is needed to examine the prenatal physical activity advice and counselling from prenatal healthcare providers on issues hindering effective delivery of the aforementioned in the context of promoting prenatal physical activity in clinical or community settings.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aoife M Finnerty

Abstract Though apparently in existence across common law countries, the defence of ‘therapeutic privilege’ receives scant judicial analysis in case law. The extent of its reach is unclear and its underpinning justification is shaky. Often it forms a throwaway remark or poorly explored caveat when the duty of a physician to disclose information is being examined, rather than receiving any detailed judicial scrutiny in its own right. Furthermore, despite references to it in case law, it is questionable if it has ever successfully been invoked as a defence in either England and Wales or Ireland. This piece examines this lack of clarity and the often-vague references to the existence of therapeutic privilege in both case law and professional guidelines, followed by a consideration of why the defence may be particularly problematic and unjustified in the context of childbirth and the immediate postpartum period. Considering the dangers of therapeutic privilege in pregnancy presents a timely opportunity to examine the issues with the use of the defence in all other healthcare contexts, focusing particularly on its impact on individual patient autonomy. Finally, this piece concludes by contending that therapeutic privilege ought to be abolished, if it truly exists at all.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-214
Author(s):  
Yuliya S. Medkova ◽  
D. R Markar’yan ◽  
I. A Tulina ◽  
Yu. A Churina ◽  
L. S Aleksandrov ◽  
...  

Introduction. Nowadays there are no sufficient evidence based data for a scientifically approach to the treatment of hemorrhoids during pregnancy and after childbirth, as well as current data of the prevalence of hemorrhoidal thrombosis (HT) and possible risk factors. Material and methods. The study included pregnant women and puerperas who were actively diagnosed with chronic hemorrhoids (CH) and HT. The physical examination was performed four times: at the woman’s initial visit to the obstetrician-gynecologist, at 24 weeks of pregnancy, at 36 weeks of pregnancy, in the postpartum period (within 7 days after delivery). Patients suffering from HT were asked to answer a questionnaire to determine possible risk factors. Results. A study was conducted on a population of 668 women. 104 women was diagnosed with CH in the postpartum period, and 81 - during pregnancy. The median VAS score with HT was 7. Second delivery, age over 30 years old, lack of physical activity during pregnancy and vaginal delivery are possible risk factors for the development of HT. Conclusions. In the presence of a high risk of HT during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, preventive examinations by a coloproctologist are an important aspect of patient management.


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