effect of physical activity during pregnancy on preterm delivery and birth weight

ABSTRACT

A historical cohort study was carried out to assess the impact of employment during pregnancy on the foetal birth weight and the duration of pregnancy. 517 pregnant Sudanese women with singleton uncomplicated pregnancies and certain dates were studied, 131 had been employed during current pregnancy. Employment was associated with a preterm delivery of 6.9% compared to 4.9% in housewives, a difference, which is not statistically significant. However post term delivery is significantly increased in housewives. 9.3% compared to 2.3% in the employees. There was no significant deference in the birth weight of the two groups. Working duration in terms of total number of calendar months worked, or working hours per week was associated with a non- significant increase of preterm labour and low birth weight in working mothers. Feeling of fatigue was significantly associated with decreased pregnancy duration and low birth weight among both employed and unemployed housewives. It is concluded that employment during pregnancy does not precipitate preterm delivery, or result in preterm babies