Constructing an Exercise Counseling Model for Pregnant Women using the Theory of Planned Behavior
Oriental Institute of Technology, Taiwan
ABSTRACT
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology guidelines for exercise during pregnancy state that pregnant women without medical or obstetric complications may continue to exercise. However, past studies have indicated that pregnant women tend to decrease the frequency and intensity of their exercise routines. Moreover, few studies have explored the exercise counseling on pregnant women. The objective of this study was to construct an individual exercise counseling model for pregnant women. It was determined that the counseling model constructed would be reviewed and evaluated by a committee of 10 experts using the Delphi method. A three-round Delphi evaluative study by multi-disciplinary health care experts was undertaken. Consensus was reached on the following pregnancy exercise counseling model: (i) assessment of exercise beliefs, health status, pre-pregnancy exercise habits, intention status, GWG (gestational weight gain) and pre-pregnancy BMI, prenatal history, PARmed-X for pregnancy, demographic data, environment; (ii) definition of the target problems; (iii) planning: setting the goals, content, and strategies; (iv) implementation and monitoring: keeping good relationships, reinforcing continuing-to-exercise behavior; (v) evaluation: degree of achievement of goals, performance of exercise routines, and progression through stages of intention. Consensus has been reached on a definition of, and a set of principles governing, exercise counseling for pregnant women. The counseling model also provides guidelines for the health and sports staff to follow in promoting women’s exercise during pregnancy. This will make more clear the process of implementation of any such programs, and likely areas for future research on promoting exercise for pregnant women.
KEYWORDS
exercise counseling, pregnant women, theory of planned behavior, Delphi method