The Effect of Pilates Exercise on Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes in Pregnancy

Background & aim: Some pregnant women experience pregnancy complications that can lead to maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Pilates Exercise on maternal and newborn outcomes. Methods: In the present double-blind randomized clinical trial, participants and outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. Participants included ۶۰ pregnant women who were at ۲۰ weeks of gestation referred to the health care centers in Shahrekord, Iran. They were initially entered the study by a stratified random sampling method and then randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention group were required to attend two moderate-intensity Pilates exercise sessions per week for ۱۲ weeks. Each session lasted ۳۰ minutes. Maternal outcomes were assessed using a self-report checklist combined with medical record review. Neonatal outcomes (including jaundice, transient tachypnea, stillbirth, and birth weight) were obtained exclusively from medical records. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version ۲۳ using independent t-test, Chi square and ANOVA. Results: After the intervention, maternal outcomes including low back pain (P=۰.۰۰۱), pelvic pain (P<۰.۰۰۱), gestational diabetes (P<۰.۰۰۱), transient hypertension of pregnancy (P=۰.۰۰۲) and urinary incontinence (P=۰.۰۱۳) were significantly lower in the intervention than the control group. However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups for any neonatal outcomes including jaundice, transient tachypnea of the newborn, stillbirth, and birth weight. Conclusion: Pilates exercise significantly improved maternal outcomes without affecting neonatal health, supporting its inclusion in prenatal education programs.

کلیدواژه ها:

Pilates exercise ، Pregnancy Outcome Gestational Diabetes ، Pre-eclampsia ، Low back pain