Abstract
Introduction
Sleep is a physiological state of self-regulation. The international classification
of sleep disorders now includes as a new category those occurring during pregnancy.
Regular physical activity is known to improve the quality of life, one aspect of which
is sleep quality. During pregnancy, physical activity is decreased but should not
be eliminated, as studies have reported a high correlation between sleep disorders
and the absence of physical activity. Regular physical exercise during pregnancy,
whether performed in water or out of it, provides greater control of gestational weight
gain. Furthermore, the reduced weight gain during pregnancy, as a result of physical
exercise, is associated with greater physical resistance to the demands of childbirth,
combats the fatigue caused by pregnancy and reduces back pain. All of these outcomes
tend to enhance sleep quality, among other beneficial effects.
Objective
To determine whether, in pregnant women, there is an association between moderate-intensity
physical activity in an aquatic environment and sleep quality.
Material and methods
A randomised clinical trial was conducted with a sample of 140 pregnant women aged
21–43 years, divided into two groups; Intervention Group and Control Group. The women
were recruited in the twelfth week of gestation and took part in the [Study of] Water
Exercise in Pregnancy programme from week 20 to week 37. Sleep quality was evaluated
in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality
Index questionnaire.
Results
The Mann–Whitney U test showed that the results obtained were statistically significant
(p < 0.05). In the Intervention Group, 44 of the women (65.67%) were classified as “poor
sleepers” versus 62 women (92.54%) in the Control Group.
Conclusions
The [Study of] Water Exercise in Pregnancy method improves the quality of sleep in
pregnant women, both subjectively and in terms of latency, duration and efficiency.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 07, 2017
Accepted:
June 16,
2017
Received in revised form:
May 16,
2017
Received:
December 8,
2016
Footnotes
☆Trial registration: The trial is registered at the US National Institutes of Health (ClinicalTrials.gov) under the title “Physical Activity in Pregnancy and Postpartum Period, Effects on Women”. Number NCT02761967.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
