Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity during Pregnancy among Participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in Southern California

Abstract

Regular exercise during pregnancy is known to be associated with many benefits for the mother and her baby. Pregnant women are recommended to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days of the week. Nonetheless, a large number of pregnant women do not engage in the recommended amounts. Not receiving the recommended amounts of physical activity may lead to excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and maternal obesity. Barriers to physical activity among low‐income pregnant women are not yet well understood. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to physical activity among pregnant WIC participants in Southern California using a qualitative approach and the socioecological framework. We conducted four focus groups (FGs) with pregnant participants aged 18 years or older in either their 2nd or 3rd trimester at the WIC Fullerton center. To take acculturation and BMI differences into account, the four FGs were held according to preferred language (English vs. Spanish‐speaking) and BMI category (self‐reported pre‐pregnancy body weight: Normal BMI < 25 kg/m2 and high BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). A total of 28 participants (5–10 participants per focus group) met our study criteria and were recruited to participate. We used Atlas. Ti to analyze the focus group transcripts. The majority of the participants were married, lived with the baby's father, were working, and had another child. The Spanish‐speaking groups had at most a high school diploma while the English‐speaking participants had at most a bachelor's degree. Eighty‐six percent of participants mentioned intrapersonal factors as barriers to physical activity. The most mentioned factors were pain and other health factors, lack of motivation and energy, and concerns about exercise safety. Eight‐three percent of participants mentioned interpersonal factors as barriers to physical activity. The most mentioned factors were lack of support from their spouse and family and lack of advice from their doctor. Seven percent of participants reported the weather as an environmental barrier. Physical activity during pregnancy helps pregnant women achieve appropriate GWG and reduce the amount of postpartum weight retention. Interventions to help low‐income pregnant women overcome physical activity barriers should be guided by social ecology & family systems theories. Interventions may focus on strategies to increase motivation and social support for pregnant women. Primary care providers should provide information to pregnant women on the type and frequency of safe exercise.Support or Funding InformationThis research is supported by a CSUF intramural incentive grant.