Obstetric Exercise and Maternal Outcomes in Pregnancy

Summary

This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the antenatal clinic and pregnancy school of a public hospital in eastern Türkiye. The study will aim to investigate the effects of obstetric exercises on depression, pregnancy-related complaints, and quality of life in women receiving prenatal care.

A total of 100 pregnant women will be recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=50) or the control group (n=50). The intervention group will participate in a four-week, physiotherapist-led, closely supervised obstetric exercise program, while the control group will continue to receive routine prenatal care.

Data will be collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory (PSI). Post-intervention outcomes will be analyzed using independent-samples t-tests to compare groups, and multiple linear regression will be applied to determine the influence of sociodemographic factors on study variables.

This study is expected to contribute to the evidence base by clarifying the potential role of obstetric exercise in reducing depressive symptoms, alleviating pregnancy complaints, and improving maternal quality of life within routine prenatal care settings.

Conditions

• Depression During Pregnancy
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications

Interventions

OTHER

Obstetric exercises

The intervention will consist of a structured obstetric exercise program administered by a physiotherapist who is permanently employed at the hospital's prenatal education center, ensuring the reliability and standardization of the intervention. The program will be based on the "Pregnancy and Exercise Guide" (2012) published by the Turkish Ministry of Health and will be delivered in the pregnancy school of a public hospital in eastern Türkiye. The exercises will be provided at weekly intervals and will include: Active joint movements to improve mobility and maintain functional range of motion, Stretching exercises to enhance flexibility and alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort, Calisthenic bodyweight exercises to promote muscle strength and endurance, Relaxation and breathing techniques to reduce stress and improve maternal well-being.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bingol University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Mehmet Kaplan, Ph.D. · Bingol University

• Mesut Çelik, Ph.D. · Bingol University

• Gülcan Çelik, Bachelor's Degree · Bingöl State Hospital

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-20

Primary Completion

2026-01-25

Completion

2026-02-27

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations