Impact of Practicing Antenatal Exercises on Maternal and Newborn Outcomes Among Gestational Diabetic Women

Abstract

Antenatal activities during pregnancy are an effective way of controlling weight gain, improving glucose level, and reducing numbers of GDM by 28% during the pregnancy period. The purpose of the research study was to assess the impact of practicing antenatal exercises on maternal and newborns outcomes among gestational diabetic women. Method: A Quasi-experimental design was formulated to adopt this study. Setting: This study was carried out at Menoufia University Hospital, Egypt. A purposive sample consisted of 100 pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes. Instruments: five instruments were used to collect the data. Results: The mean pregnant women's age was 30.84 ± 6.8 years old. The most public causes of Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy were high in sugar diet, unhealthy lifestyle, and hereditary causes (82%, 76%, and 41%, respectively). Besides, walking exercise daily was the most common antenatal exercise which the women practice during pregnancy (70%). The rate of the antenatal exercise was from two to three times weekly. Also, 59% of the sample delivered NVD. There was a high SSD related to Apgar scoring of the newborn in the 1st and 5th minutes. Conclusion: Antenatal exercise plays a significant role in controlling weight gain, controlling blood glucose levels during pregnancy, and reducing negative maternal & newborns outcomes. Recommendations: Specializing clinics for high-risk pregnancy ante-natal care follow-up, and future research conducted for postpartum follow-up for breastfeeding women.