Determining the Level of Knowledge of UND College Women in Their Childbearing Years Regarding Exercise during Pregnancy

With an increase in the number of pregnant women exercising, there is an increased need for patient education and the distribution of updated guidelines to promote appropriate exercise activities.PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge in English-speaking, college women in their childbearing years attending the University of North Dakota regarding the risks, precautionary measures and recommended modes of exercise during pregnancy.SUBJECTS & METHODS: Eighty-four women between the ages of 18 and 40 enrolled in the summer school session completed a thirty-one question survey. The survey was used to gather information about the training needs of college women regarding their understanding of risk factors associated with participating in exercise during pregnancy.RESULTS: It was found that the women had a significantly low level of knowledge of the risks, precautionary measures, and modes of exercise during pregnancy. It was also found that the women had a significantly lower amount of knowledge ofthe risks (X=32.59 +/ -20.44, p<.OOI), as compared to the precautionary measures (X=49.7 +/ -20.90, p<.OOI) or modes of exercise (X=45.54 +/-24.75, p<.OOI).CONCLUSION: College women between the ages of 18 and 40 do not have a good understanding concerning the risks of exercise, precautionary measures to be implemented, and recommended modes of exercise associated with pregnancy.DISCUSSION: The low scores may be contributed to factors such as no previous experience( s) of pregnancy or the size of city in which the participants had lived the longest. The information obtained from this study may guide the development of appropriate educational tools and instructional protocols, and may serve as a precursor for future research.