Physical inactivity during pregnancy: its associations with socio-demographic background and mental health

Abstract Background: Exercise during pregnancy is known to have positive effects on both maternal and foetus health. Despite international recommendations advocating regular exercise for healthy pregnant women survey data indicate that physical activity decreases during pregnancy, particularly in the third trimester. This study aims to assess the physical inactivity levels of pregnant women in Hungary in a representative sample and to explore the association between physical inactivity, socio-demographic characteristics, and mental health. Method: Utilizing data from the Cohort'18 Hungarian Birth Cohort Study during pregnancy, our analysis encompasses 6121 pregnant women. The survey, administered by local health visitors, assessed the amount of physical activity, such as sports, cycling and walking, done in one week before pregnancy and in the third trimester of pregnancy. Mental health was evaluated through self-administered paper-pencil questionnaires, measuring depression (CES-D-8) and anxiety (GAD-2) questionnaires. Results: The inactivity rate during pregnancy was 70% for walking, 92% for cycling and 90% for sports. Inactivity increased across all forms of physical activity during pregnancy. Socio-demographic determinants influencing physical inactivity varied for different activities during pregnancy. Walking and doing sport were significantly associated with equivalent income quintiles, educational attainment, parity, and the population of the settlement. For cycling, educational attainment, employment status and the population of the settlement held significant predictive power. Examined socio-demographic variables explained 3,5-4,7% of the variance in walking, 3,3-7,8% in cycling, and 7-14% in doing sport during pregnancy. Mental status significantly associated only with doing sport during pregnancy. Conclusions: Our study provides insight into the high rates of third trimester physical inactivity among pregnant women in Hungary, especially for vigorous activity, using representative data. The findings underscore the importance of raising awareness about physical activity in antenatal care, particularly targeting at-risk population. Health education in the antenatal care process should be expanded to emphasize the crucial role of physical activity during pregnancy.