Woman's wellbeing, Aquanatal exercise and Peer Support
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of women’s experiences of wellbeing through attendance at aquanatal exercise, and the impact of peer support during pregnancy.
IRAS ID
139478
Contact name
Elizabeth C Davey
Contact email
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 20 days
Research summary
Background.
Midwives build relationships with women during childbearing, offering aspects of social support to women individually and in groups within various settings. During antenatal care, the midwife provides advice and information on a range of health and wellbeing topics to encourage healthy lifestyles for women and their families. The clinical assessment of pregnancy allows the midwife to focus the discussion with each woman to reduce the impact of pregnancy related conditions on her individual childbearing experience.
Women also network with other pregnant women to gain elements of peer support to supplement that provided by family, friends and work colleagues which may be significant in the transition to motherhood. Common interest groups provide women with opportunities to meet and discuss advice and information relating to health risks and may promote positive strategies for personal wellbeing and family health.
The experience of wellbeing during childbearing is thought to be related to physical and emotional health and to the individual’s assessment of internal and external factors on their quality of life. Such common interest groups may offer midwives new opportunities to present positive health messages for pregnant women which use peer support communications in more varied community settings than previous have been used.
Method.
This research will explore pregnant women’s experience of wellbeing through developing social communities associated with physical activity. Two groups of antenatal women will form the sample where one group attend aquanatal classes facilitated by a midwife instructor (researcher) and a second group who may or may not undertake other physical activity options. A case study approach will be used to examine the relationships such network situations may afford within a community setting during pregnancy. The objectives of the study are to explore women’s experience of wellbeing associated with any physical activity they undertake, women’s experience of peer support during pregnancy, women’s experience of wellbeing and peer support from attending aquanatal exercise classes facilitated by a midwife and the impact of promoting health messages about physical activity during pregnancy.
Brief explanation of research process.
Each group will be recruited from 14 weeks of pregnancy and once consent has been signed, an initial questionnaire and physical activity record for 3 months prior to conception and the first three months of pregnancy will be completed by each participant. The baseline information will be recorded by the researcher.
From enrolment until 20 weeks, women will complete a diary record of physical activity at weekly intervals. At 20 weeks gestation a focus group (up to one hour) or individual interviews (20 minutes) will record data following a semi-structured interview plan with open questions seeking information on physical activity, wellbeing, and peer support during the 14-20 week period.
The remainder of the pregnancy is divided into two other similar time periods of 20 to 29 weeks of pregnancy and 30 weeks to birth with focus groups or individual interviews set for 29 and 38 weeks approximately respectively depending on women’s availability.
Participants will be asked to complete physical activity diary records for the first six weeks post birth and a final focus group/individual interview 3 months after birth.
Data obtained from questionnaires, diaries and transcribed interviews will be used to provide an in-depth investigation into pregnant women’s experience of wellbeing through developing social communities associated with physical activity. Diary records by the researcher (as the midwife instructor for the aquanatal classes) will be completed following every class and together with field notes compiled during all aspects of the data collection period will provide additional data and reflective notes during the study. Data will be analysed using content analysis informed by NIVIVO software to seek exploration of women’s experience of wellbeing, peer support and physical activity during pregnancy for both groups of women.
The research will be disseminated following completion of the doctoral thesis through publication in peer reviewed journals, presentations and wider discussion of community based maternity care policies.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0189
Date of REC Opinion
8 May 2015
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion