Perceptions of effective advice in pregnancy – The case of activity

Summary Objectives The paper uses qualitative and quantitative data arising from a longitudinal study of pregnant women to examine women’s responses to advice provided about changing their behaviour during pregnancy. Design A longitudinal study over nine months involving a semi-structured questionnaire and interview schedule together with a range of psychological measures and activity measurement using actimetry. The purpose of the main study was to explore maternal daily activity in low-risk pregnancy. Participants 57 women volunteers aged (mean age 26.3 years) with low-risk pregnancy, recruited via an East Midlands City Centre teaching hospital antenatal clinic. Results Data on advice suggest that 1) response to advice is extremely varied and that reduction in activity is not always welcome; 2) factors affecting women’s responses to advice include the importance they attach to an active lifestyle in pregnancy. Conclusions The paper highlights the inherent difficulties of providing effective advice during the short period of pregnancy; the need for clear and consistent messages to be provided by all health professionals involved in antenatal care as well as the difficulty of changing cultural expectations of pregnancy-appropriate behaviours.