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Volume 13
Issue 12
10.3390/healthcare13121423
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns of Pregnant Women in Southern Spain and the Relationship with Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study

by
Katty M. Cavero
1,
Rita Santos-Rocha
2,3,*,
Diego Gómez-Baya
4,5,
Silvia Rosado-Bello
6,
Elia Fernández-Martínez
7,
Mónica Maure-Rico
8,
Anna Jean Grasmeijer
4 and
Ramón Mendoza-Berjano
4,5
1
Doctorate Programme on Health Sciences, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
2
ESDRM, Department of Physical Activity and Health, Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior, Santarém Polytechnic University, 2040-413 Rio Maior, Portugal
3
SPRINT, Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center, 2040-413 Rio Maior, Portugal
4
Research Group on Health Promotion and Development of Lifestyle across the Life Span, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
5
Department of Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology, University of Huelva, 21007 Huelva, Spain
6
Obstetrics Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Juan Ramon Jimenez University Hospital, 21005 Huelva, Spain
7
Department of Nursing, University of Huelva, 21071 Huelva, Spain
8
Mallén Health Centre, Andalusian Health Service, 41071 Seville, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Healthcare 2025, 13(12), 1423; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121423 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 11 May 2025 / Revised: 6 June 2025 / Accepted: 10 June 2025 / Published: 13 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity, Healthy Lifestyle and Well-Being Across the Lifespan)
Review Reports Versions Notes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy presents health benefits for mother and child. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 min of moderate-intensity physical activity per week for a healthy pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to describe physical and sedentary activity patterns, estimate the proportion of women meeting PA recommendations, and identify associated sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics in a sample of pregnant women from southern Spain. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 385 pregnant women attending their 20th-week scheduled ultrasound at their referral hospital was selected. Inclusion criteria were being between 18 and 22 gestational weeks pregnant and communicating in Spanish. A face-to-face structured interview was used to collect demographic, obstetric, and PA data, as well as sedentary patterns. Indexes of weekly PA in various domains were computed. Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess the variability of physical and sedentary activities according to sociodemographic and obstetric variables. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 84.4% of participants engaged in some type of PA and 73.7% met WHO PA requirements. Higher leisure PA was associated with higher education (p < 0.05) and first-time pregnancy (p < 0.01). Higher work PA was linked to lower education (p < 0.01), being born outside Spain (p < 0.05), and later pregnancy awareness (p < 0.01). Higher sedentary daily time was associated with higher education (p < 0.01), speaking Spanish as a child (p < 0.05), and first-time pregnancy (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Most pregnant women in this study met PA recommendations. Correlates of leisure PA differ from those regarding work PA.
Keywords: physical activity; sedentary behaviour; pregnancy; patterns; correlates; guidelines; Spain physical activity; sedentary behaviour; pregnancy; patterns; correlates; guidelines; Spain

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MDPI and ACS Style

Cavero, K.M.; Santos-Rocha, R.; Gómez-Baya, D.; Rosado-Bello, S.; Fernández-Martínez, E.; Maure-Rico, M.; Grasmeijer, A.J.; Mendoza-Berjano, R. Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns of Pregnant Women in Southern Spain and the Relationship with Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare 2025, 13, 1423. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121423

AMA Style

Cavero KM, Santos-Rocha R, Gómez-Baya D, Rosado-Bello S, Fernández-Martínez E, Maure-Rico M, Grasmeijer AJ, Mendoza-Berjano R. Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns of Pregnant Women in Southern Spain and the Relationship with Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare. 2025; 13(12):1423. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121423

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cavero, Katty M., Rita Santos-Rocha, Diego Gómez-Baya, Silvia Rosado-Bello, Elia Fernández-Martínez, Mónica Maure-Rico, Anna Jean Grasmeijer, and Ramón Mendoza-Berjano. 2025. "Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns of Pregnant Women in Southern Spain and the Relationship with Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study" Healthcare 13, no. 12: 1423. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121423

APA Style

Cavero, K. M., Santos-Rocha, R., Gómez-Baya, D., Rosado-Bello, S., Fernández-Martínez, E., Maure-Rico, M., Grasmeijer, A. J., & Mendoza-Berjano, R. (2025). Physical Activity and Sedentary Patterns of Pregnant Women in Southern Spain and the Relationship with Sociodemographic and Obstetric Characteristics: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare, 13(12), 1423. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13121423

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