A Cross-Sectional Study Examining the Association between Physical Activity and Perinatal Depression

The Impact of Physical Activity on the Development of Postpartum Depression

Although the benefits of physical activity (PA) on mental well-being are well established, the vulnerability of women during pregnancy and the postpartum period poses challenges in studying the effects of PA on postpartum depression (PPD). This study investigated the association between total and domain-specific PA levels during pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms. The study included 105 healthy pregnant women whose PA status was evaluated by the Serbian version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire during Pregnancy (PPAQ-SRB) and their postpartum mental health by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the independent relationship between PPAQ-SRB scores and the prediction of the PPD symptom occurrence. Our analysis revealed that the development of PPD symptomatology was associated with a lower "Total PPAQ-SRB score" (odds ratio (OR) 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.70-0.93]; p=0.03) and "Total Activity score" (OR 0.82; 95% CI [0.71-0.93]; p=0.03) as well as lower scores of light-intensity PA (OR 0.81; 95% CI [0.69-0.96]; p=0.013), moderate-intensity PA (OR 0.82; 95% CI [0.71-0.94]; p=0.005), "Household/care" (OR 0.85; 95% CI [0.73-0.98]; p=0.028), and "Occupational" activities (OR 0.80; 95% CI [0.78-0.95]; p=0.012). Lower levels of light-to-moderate-intensity household and occupational activities appeared to increase the risk of PPD, indicating the importance of circumstances under which PA is performed. Hence, our findings indicate that PA during pregnancy can mitigate mood disorders in postpartum mothers. Moreover, reduced participation in light-to-moderate-intensity household and occupational activities seemed to increase the risk of PPD.

The influencing factors of changes in physical activity levels of pregnant women during pregnancy: From the perspective of continuous care

A comprehensive understanding of physical activity levels (PAL) among Chinese pregnant women and an exploration, from a continuous care perspective, of various factors influencing these activity levels. Investigating the correlations between adverse habits, psychological factors, and PAL in prenatal health management. This study aims to provide substantial guidance for prenatal health management and personalized care, offering recommendations to healthcare professionals and policymakers to enhance the overall health and well-being of pregnant women. This study enrolled 1256 pregnant women as research subjects. Baseline information was collected through a personal information collection form. Subsequently, continuous care was provided during the early, middle, and late stages of pregnancy, documenting the respective influencing factors. Simultaneously, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was utilized to assess the PAL of pregnant women across different trimesters. Finally, using the SPSS software version 25.0, a combined approach of generalized linear mixed effects (GLME) models and multivariate logistic regression was used to statistically analyze the collected data, comprehensively exploring the influencing factors of PAL during pregnancy. The proportion of research subjects engaged in low-level physical activity decreased from 60.80% to 40.34% across various stages of pregnancy, while the proportion engaged in moderate-level physical activity ranged from 25.32% to 40.75%. Meanwhile, the proportion engaged in high-level physical activity accounted for 13.88% to 18.91%.There was P = .021 and β = -0.276 for smoking before pregnancy. The P-value of pregnant women who smoke in the second trimester was.035, the Odds Ratio (OR) value was 0.638, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was (0.406, 0.972). The difference was statistically significant (all P < .05). In China, the physical activity level of pregnant women is generally low, which is related to factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep disorders, and depression during pregnancy. Medical personnel should improve the living habits of pregnant women and enhance their PAL through measures such as health education and psychological counseling.

Association of Pregnant Women's Perinatal Depression with Sociodemographic, Anthropometric and Lifestyle Factors and Perinatal and Postnatal Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: In recent decades, the incidence of depression has gradually increased in the general population globally. Depression is also common during gestation and could result in detrimental gestational complications for both the mother and the fetus. The survey presented aimed to evaluate whether pregnant women's perinatal depression could be associated with socio-demographic, anthropometry and lifestyle factors, and perinatal and postnatal outcomes. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey conducted on 5314 pregnant women. Socio-demographic and lifestyle factors were recorded by relevant questionnaires via face-to-face interviews. Anthropometric parameters were measured by qualified personnel. Perinatal depressive symptomatology status was evaluated by Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI-II) questionnaire. Results: Depressive symptoms throughout gestation were found in 35.1% of the enrolled women. Perinatal depression was significantly associated with lower educational and economic level, pre-pregnancy regular smoking and reduced levels of Mediterranean diet adherence levels, a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes and preterm birth, as well as a higher incidence of delivering by caesarean section and abnormal childbirth weight. Perinatal depression was also significantly associated with a higher prevalence of maternal postpartum depression and lower prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding practices, as well as with a higher incidence of childhood asthma. Conclusions: Pregnant women's perinatal depression appears to be associated with various socio-demographic, anthropometry, and lifestyle characteristics and with a higher frequency of several adverse pregnancy complications. The present findings emphasize the importance of pregnant women's perinatal mental health, highlighting the need to develop and apply public strategies and policies for psychological counseling and support of future mothers to minimize probable risk factors that may trigger perinatal depression. Novel well-organized, follow-up surveys of enhanced validity are highly recommended to establish more definitive conclusions.