DETERMINING THE RECREATIONAL HEALTH PRACTICES BY PREGNANT WOMEN IN SELECTED ANTENATAL CLINICS

DETERMINING THE RECREATIONAL HEALTH PRACTICES BY PREGNANT WOMEN IN SELECTED ANTENATAL CLINICS

INTRODUCTION

Pregnancy is the development of one or more offspring in a woman’s uterus, known as an embryo or fetus. This spans the time between the male sex cell fertilizing the female sex cell and the birth of the offspring. This is also known as the gestation phase. According to Jukic, Baird, Weinberg, McConnaughey, and Wilcox (2013), the cells divide and expand rapidly, and in eight weeks it is stable and large enough to be named a fetus. The fetus’s continuous growth causes physiological changes in the pregnant woman.

According to Shrock (2008), a woman’s biology experiences enormous alterations during the childbearing period, from conception to postpartum recovery, necessitating numerous adoptions. Throughout the nine months of pregnancy, physical and hormonal changes occur gradually, and these are reversed in a matter of weeks during postpartum recovery. Skeletal, muscular, and connective tissue, as well as blood volume, cardiac output, body weight, and posture, are all affected. Its impact on the unborn kid and/or the mother can be good or detrimental.

During pregnancy, pregnant women are usually exposed to care. This type of care is known as antenatal or prenatal care. This type of care is typically provided by trained workers in hospitals, primary health care centers, or traditional birth attendants. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2003) defines antenatal care as “the provision of special care for women during pregnancy through the public health service.” Pregnant women were only offered maternity care during delivery until the second half of the twentieth century. Until pregnant women were given care during their pregnancy, maternal and child mortality was extremely high. According to WHO, this development was prompted by the knowledge that maternal mortality from puerperal infection, hemorrhage, and obstructed labor had decreased significantly during the early years of the twentieth century. Today, advances in obstetrics and gynecology have improved the services provided to women in antenatal clinics. Good prenatal care is essential for the mother’s health and the growth of the unborn child.

Pregnancy is an important period to encourage good behavior and parenting abilities. In order to improve pregnancy outcomes, ante-natal care also provides women with relevant information and counseling for a healthy pregnancy, safe birthing, and postnatal recovery, including newborn care, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, and aid in deciding on future pregnancies. An efficient antenatal care package is dependent on competent health care practitioners working in a well-functioning health system that includes referral services and enough supplies of regular medications and laboratory assistance. Antenatal care packages vary depending on the health practitioner. The new World Health Organization prenatal care model divides pregnant women into two groups: those who are expected to require only regular antenatal care and those who have specific health issues or risk factors that require special care. A typical routine of four prenatal visits is advised for the first group, with additional visits if issues requiring special care emerge. The World Health Organization guidelines (2003) are also detailed in terms of the time and content of prenatal care appointments based on gestational age. According to the rules, “only examinations and tests that serve an immediate purpose and have been proven to be beneficial should be performed.” These tests include blood pressure monitoring, urine testing for the presence of sugar and protein, and a blood test to identify anaemia. At each visit, routine weight and height measurements are taken. Some packages include recreational activities such as exercises and games for pregnant women.

According to Hoeger and Hoger (2010), the body undergoes tremendous physiological and psychological changes during pregnancy, which is natural; yet, in order to remain healthy, the pregnant woman must engage in regular physical activity known as exercise. Exercise, according to Hornby (2010), is a physical or mental activity performed to maintain or improve health. Exercise sessions in antenatal clinics should be intended to pique women’s interest in the physical changes that are taking place, as well as to encourage body awareness and physical and mental calm.

According to Makinde, Adeyemo, and Ogundele (2014), professional health workers must carefully plan leisure and physical exercise programs for pregnant women in order for them to remain healthy. Recreational health habits are extremely beneficial to pregnant women. It prepares woman for childbirth by strengthening her muscles and increasing her endurance (Ministry of Health, Brazil 2001). Green (1993) also covered breathing and relaxation activities that were commonly used and were most effective in relieving labor pain and improving emotional well-being. When the woman undertakes certain easy activities throughout pregnancy, her and the fetus’s health improves. Exercise has been scientifically and physically proven to increase blood circulation to the mother and fetal vital organs such as the brain, liver, and heart, among others. Exercise also improves pelvic bone and muscle tone, resulting in a normal and safe delivery of the baby during labor (Dianne & Myles, 2004). According to Shrock (2008), as more pregnant women engage in physically demanding vocations, physical activities, and sports, the obstetricians and midwives who care for them must become aware about the physical changes of pregnancy and the consequences of exercise on the mother and fetus. Understanding both the biological stressors that may emerge from pregnancy changes and the measures to prevent unneeded difficulties allows health care to be initiated early in pregnancy and sustained through the postpartum period. In a well planned antenatal care class, a physiotherapist or midwife would teach pregnant women the fundamentals of recreation during pregnancy, explaining the benefits and the restrictions to which they should adhere. Recreational activity, for example, enhances blood circulation, develops pelvic floor muscles, and prevents backaches (Dianne & Myle, 2004).

Recreational health activities, according to McLean, Hurd, and Rogers (2005), are activities that are commonly done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are seen to be beneficial to the individual participating. Boye (2009) defines recreation as “any form of free activity that an individual engages in during his or her leisure hours.” It could be done indoors or outdoors, passively or actively. Recreation can help with mental, physical, emotional, and social development. Recreational health activities have been shown to benefit both the pregnant woman and the unborn child.

It is one thing for caregivers to promote recreational activities, but it is quite another for pregnant women to follow through on them. Adherence would be determined by a number of factors, one of which being awareness of the benefits. Sarfraz, Islami, Hammed, Hasan, and Ahmad (2013) found that 95.2% of pregnant women attending prenatal clinics believed that physiotherapy plays a good role in antenatal care, despite the fact that only 30% were currently following the exercise program. Adherence to the activity would be substantially lower where awareness is minimal.

Monitoring is another critical part of leisure activities undertaken by pregnant women attending prenatal care clinics. Makinde et al. (2014) discovered that 294 (58.8%) of respondents in their survey preferred prenatal exercise to be administered by an expert, while 116 (23.3% of the total respondents) did not.