Background: Women from underprivileged backgrounds typically have poor delivery outcomes, including low birthweight (LBW), and frequently participate in strenuous physical labor at home and on farms. Research conducted in Kenya found that even during pregnancy, many women exercised for 78% of the day. Given that Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of LBW, it is likely that a comparable level of activity is also present there. High-income nations have established standards about the required amount of physical activity for expectant mothers in each trimester of pregnancy due to the extensive documentation of the relationship between birthweight and physical activity levels throughout pregnancy.
Objective: To examine the type and level of maternal physical activities and other characteristics during the third trimester and their association with the mode of delivery and prenatal outcomes.
Patients and Methods: A total of 200 women were recruited to identify the effect of exercise during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy on mode of delivery and perinatal outcomes. 20 women were excluded from the study (8 patients declined consent and 12 patients did not meet the inclusion criteria), and 180 women were enrolled in a retrospective study at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University Sers El Lian General Hospital, during the period from April 2022 to October 2023.
Results: Neonatal birth weight was significantly increased among exposed patients (2.88±0.30) than non-exposed patients (2.10±0.00), (P<0.001). Also, weight in the first and third trimesters were significantly higher among exposed patients (69.58±6.97, 73.47±4.35) than non-exposed (68.40±0.41, 69.10±4.03), (P=0.034, 0.001) respectively. Moreover, there was a significant difference among the studied groups regarding mode of delivery, gravidity, and parity (P<0.05), mode of delivery as cesarean section was found in 81.25% of non-exposed patients and in 29.27% of exposed patients (P=0.020). Also, parity as 1–2 children was found in 100.0% of non-exposed patients and in 62.20% of exposed patients (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Women who are living in rural area were exposed to high physical activity. Our study showed that women who weren't exposed to physical activity had risk to born babies with LBW. 83.33% of women with mild physical activity were delivered by caesarean section. While in moderate physical activity all women delivered by caesarean section.