Physical activity as a key pillar of psychophysical prehabilitation for women in late pregnancy: impact on depression risk, quality of life, and sleep disorders

Introduction: Quality of life (QoL), including mental health, of pregnant women and mothers, warrants great attention. While pregnancy is viewed as a joyful milestone by many women, both pregnancy and postpartum periods may be associated with considerable stress, anxiety, fear, and an increased risk of depressive disorders. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze physical activity of pregnant women as an element of prehabilitation, and to examine its association with changes in their psychophysical condition, with a particular emphasis on the risk of depression, level of perceived stress, and sleep disorders. Materials and methods: The study involved 687 women between day 1 and 8 of the postpartum period interviewed between December 2019 and September 2021. The following questionnaires were used to analyze their psychophysical condition: Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version, Health Behavior Inventory, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Results: Positive correlations were found between energy expenditure from sports and: life satisfaction (P = 0.03), health habits (P <0.001), and overall QoL (P = 0.001), particularly in the psychological (P = 0.007) and environmental (P = 0.009) domains. Furthermore, participation in sports / exercise reduced the levels of perceived stress (P = 0.006). Inactivity or sedentary activity significantly increased the risk of depressive disorders in the perinatal period, diminished life satisfaction, and negatively affected QoL in the somatic and psychological domains. It also had a negative impact on sleep parameters. Conclusions: Physical activity may modulate the psychophysical state of pregnant women; however, further research is needed to confirm these findings.