Physical activity counseling in maternity and child health care - a controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The purpose of the study is to examine the effects and feasibility of individual physical activity (PA) counseling in maternity and child health clinics in Finland.

Methods

Three clinics including both maternity and child health care signed up for the experimental (EXP) and three for the control group (CON). The participants were 132 pregnant and 92 postpartum primiparas. The nurses in EXP integrated a primary and four booster PA counseling sessions into routine visits. An option for supervised group exercise was offered. In CON former practices, usually including brief PA advice, were continued. Leisure-time PA (LTPA) prior to pregnancy was elicited by questionnaire and followed 16-18 and 36-37 weeks' gestation in maternity clinics and 5 and 10 months postpartum

SUBMITTER: Aittasalo M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2527301 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature