Table 3 Physical activity characteristics of pregnant women attending antenatal care at public and private health facilities in Mekelle, Ethiopia, May 2018 (n = 299)
Variables | Frequency n (%) |
|---|---|
Exercise advise from a medical professional | |
 Yes | 211 (70.6) |
 No | 88 (29.4) |
Exercise advised by | |
 Medical doctor | 50 (16.7) |
 Nurse/midwives | 88 (29.5) |
 Health officer | 1 (0.3) |
 Health extension package | 72 (24.1) |
Method of education on exercise advice | |
 Individual | 181 (60.5) |
 In a group of other pregnant women | 29 (9.8) |
 Brochure | 1 (0.3) |
A habit of exercise before pregnancy | |
 Yes | 227 (75.9) |
 No | 72 (24.1) |
A habit of exercise while pregnant | |
 I continued doing exercises | 110 (36.8) |
 I stopped the exercises | 45 (15.1) |
 I continued to exercise but slowed down | 72 (24.1) |
Reasons stopped exercise activities during pregnancy | |
 Fear of miscarriage | 35 (11.7) |
 Too Tired | 5 (1.7) |
 Having no time | 3 (1.1) |
 Discomfort | 1 (0.3) |
 Dislikes exercise | 1 (0.3) |
Comfortable environment | |
 Yes | 231 (77.3) |
 No | 68 (22.7) |
Reasons for lack of comfortable environment | |
 Lack of a safe and secure environment | 48 (16) |
 Cold temperature | 5 (1.7) |
 Lack of accessibility to do exercise | 10 (3.3) |
 Others | 5 (1.7) |
Self-evaluation of physical activity level prior to pregnancy | |
 Low | 40 (13.4) |
 Moderate | 237 (79.3) |
 High | 22 (7.4) |
Self-evaluation of current physical activity | |
 Less active | 123 (41.1) |
 Increased activity | 29 (9.7) |
 No change | 147 (49.2) |
Habitual (usual) exercises with husband or partner | |
 Yes | 193 (64.8) |
 No | 106 (35.2) |
Sources of information about exercisea | |
 Books and newspapers | 13 (4.3) |
 Friends or relatives | 69 (23.1) |
 Multi-Media | 89 (29.8) |
 Medical/Health institutions | 145 (48.5) |
 Public announcement | 6 (2.0) |
The person who encouraged you to exercisea | |
 Husband or partner | 54 (18.1) |
 Medical staff | 36 (12.0) |
 Other family members or friends | 6 (2.0) |
 Herself | 214 (71.6) |
Preferred mode of exercisea | |
 Walking slowly | 258 (86.3) |
 Dancing | 17 (5.7) |
 Prenatal exercise class | 14 (4.7) |
 Swimming | 2 (0.7) |
 Walking quickly | 11 (3.7) |
 Climb hill | 2 (0.7) |
 Running slowly | 8 (2.7) |
 Running quickly | 1 (0.3) |