Comparison of Quality of life, Thyroid Hormones, and Blood Glucose in Active and Inactive Pregnant Women

Abstract

Background and Objectives Pregnancy is one of the most important periods of a woman's life, which affects most body systems due to the extensive metabolic needs of pregnancy. This research aimed to compare quality of life, thyroid function, and blood glucose profile in active and inactive pregnant women. Subjects and Methods In the present study, 120 pregnant women were purposefully selected from the pregnant women who were referred to the women's Clinic of Amir al-Momenin and Social Security Hospital in Ahvaz, Khuzestan province, Iran, in 2022. The activity and inactivity of pregnant women were based on the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ). In addition, the participants completed the quality of life questionnaires (WHOQOL-BREF). To measure thyroid hormones and sugar profile, blood sampling was done in the Hospital Laboratory while fasting. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance and independent t-test. Results The results of the present research showed that active pregnant women had significantly higher quality of life and T3 and T4 hormones compared to inactive pregnant women. Furthermore, active pregnant women had significantly lower fasting blood glucose, two-hour blood glucose, and thyroid-stimulating hormone compared to inactive pregnant women. Conclusion Overall, the present study emphasizes the importance of the role of physical activity on the psychological and physiological variables of pregnant women and suggests exercise interventions in future research.