System construction of physical fitness index for pregnant women / 中华围产医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:Constructing a physical fitness test index system for pregnant women to fully understand their physical fitness level and provide a reference for exercise prescription for this population.Methods:The system was established by way of literature review and Delphi survey, which was further validated on 60 pregnant women undergoing prenatal examination at Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Beijing Haidian District from November 7, 2019, to January 7, 2020. A questionnaire was used to evaluate the satisfaction of pregnant women with the process and results of the physical fitness test. The test and survey data adopted the descriptive analysis. Paired sample t test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The index system of maternal physical fitness test during pregnancy was established through three rounds of expert discussion, and consists of three first-level indexes, 11 second-level indexes, and 23 third-level indexes. All 60 subjects completed the test successfully and no complaints or discomfort were reported. There was no significant difference in the fetal heart rate before and after the test [(142.1±3.8) vs (142.1±4.5) bpm; t=－0.025, P=0.980]. The average test duration was (32.6±3.4) min, and the average load consumption was (300.1±41.2) kcal (1 kcal=4.184 kJ). The questionnaire showed that all subjects were satisfied with the test process and results. Conclusions:The index system of physical fitness test for pregnant women established in this study is scientific, practical, and safe, which is a potential evaluation tool of the physical fitness level for pregnant women.