An exercise program throughout pregnancy: Barakat model

Abstract

The physiologic processes of pregnancy and childbirth can determine the future well‐being of mothers and children due to the great quantity and quality of modifications that these processes require in all areas of the female body and fetus. Recent evidence has confirmed that modern unhealthy lifestyles negatively affect pregnancy outcomes. Engaging in unhealthy habits during pregnancy increases the risk of chronic disease in both the mother and the fetus. Regarding physical exercise during pregnancy, throughout history, many professionals and scientists have reported the best gestational conditions for the mother, fetus, and newborn. The perspectives and advice have changed over time, including periods of strong conservatism. This history has affected the recommendations for the type and amount of exercise that a healthy woman should perform during pregnancy. The aim of this article is to determine the basic aspects that physical exercise programs during pregnancy should define in the near future. Additionally, from the results of this article, we propose an exercise program model that includes many exercises spanning throughout pregnancy (3 blocks = until 20 weeks, until 30 weeks and until the end of the pregnancy). An exercise session model divided into seven parts and recommendations of operative position to exercise during pregnancy are also provided.

The ‘new normal’ includes online prenatal exercise: Exploring pregnant women’s experiences during the pandemic and the role of virtual group fitness on maternal mental health

“…The exercise program was provided by certi ed tness professionals 3 times per week for 60 minutes each session, inclusive of moderate aerobic physical exercise following the structure of the Barakat Model. 34 All classes were delivered in an online format using the Zoom platform.…”

Effectiveness of a Virtual Exercise Program During COVID-19 Confinement on Blood Pressure Control in Healthy Pregnant Women

“…Regarding the moderate intensity of the workload and due to the non-face-to-face nature of the program, pregnant women were previously informed for self-control through two mechanisms: Maternal Heart Rate (MHR) and perception of effort. Therefore, women used a heart rate monitor (Accurex Plus, Finland) during the training sessions (MHR was consistently 55-65% of heart rate reserve using the Karvonen formula) and a range of 12-14 of Borg Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale (Somewhat Hard) (Barakat, 2020).…”

Influence of a Virtual Exercise Program throughout Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Perineal Tears and Episiotomy Rates: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…A minimum of 80% adherence was established from a mean total of 80-85 classes planned for each participant for the analysis of results. The exercise program included 3 weekly sessions of 55-60 min of complementary activities following a methodological model divided into seven parts that included pelvic floor exercise established by our research group [31]. Pelvic floor training exercises involved Kegel exercises for 5-10 min each session, which were composed of slow contractions (doing between 2-3 series of 6-8 repetitions and 8 to 10 s each repetition) and fast contractions (doing 1-2 series of 6-8 repetitions and doing 14-18 contractions of 2 to 3 s each repetition) of the different structures of the pelvic floor musculature (vaginal and anal contractions); leg strengthening exercises such as glute bridge or hip abductions; hip mobility exercises, e.g., hip rotations.…”