Table 1 The relationship of pregnant women’s individual characteristics with the PA barriers

Age

≤ 24

85

89.91

16.88

^aP = 0.74

0.12 (− 0.11,0.37)

25–29

98

86.87

18.42

30–34

92

88.78

21.84

≥ 35

25

89.68

20.87

Pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy BMI (kg/m2)

≤ 18.5

12

88.83

14.14

^aP < 0.001

0.48 (0.24,0.72)

18.5–24.9

107

88.36

19.44

25–29.9

132

88.17

19.09

≥ 30

49

89.93

20.93

Ethnicity

Fars

11

84.9

7.24

^aP = 0.12

0.19 (−0.44,0.79)

Kurdish

256

88.02

19.65

Lur

24

97.21

19.21

Lak

9

85.11

13.96

Level of education

Secondary

21

101.76

19.73

^aP = 0.004

−.074 (−1. 19,-0.3)

Diploma

98

88.50

18.15

University education

181

87.05

19.35

Occupation

Employed

41

91.37

17.71

^bP = 0.325

0.169 (− 0.161, 0.499)

Housewife

259

88.11

19.52

Income (millions Rls)

Undesirable < 20

34

88.02

15.22

^aP < 0.001

0.44 (0.21,0.68)

Fairly favorable:

20–40

150

92.67

18.19

Optimal: 40–100

116

83.38

20.55

No of pregnancies

1

152

89.53

18.97

^aP< 0.001

−0.6 (−1.27,0.05)

2

94

85.92

17.78

3

45

86.08

21.33

4

9

111.88

13.54

No of children

0

153

89.43

18.92

^aP = 0.102

−1.27 (−1.94,-0.6)

1

112

85.88

18.52

2

35

93.28

22.37

Gestational age (weeks)

10–14

67

85.67

15.83

^aP = 0.22

0.13 (−0.09,0.37)

15–28

123

90.62

21.45

29–37

110

88

18.52

Participation in childbirth preparation classes

Yes

34

92.91

18.14

^bP = 0.16

0.255 (− 0.103, 0.613)

No

266

88

19.39

Habitual exercising pre-pregnancy

Yes

110

79.59

20.95

^bP< 0.001

0.783 (0.54, 1.027)

No

190

93.74

16.16