Health-Promoting Behaviors Through Pregnancy, Maternity Leave, and Return to Work: Effects of Role Spillover and Other Correlates

Abstract

Women's health-promoting behavior changes and their correlates across the transition to motherhood and return to work are insufficiently understood. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare women's health-promoting behaviors, particularly physical activity (PA), across these transitions. A prospective, observational design was employed to assess 243 female healthcare workers from 3 sites with regard to health-promoting behaviors, and their demographic (e.g., age, parity) and psychosocial (i.e., work-family role spillover) correlates. Forty-two participants were recruited while pregnant and re-assessed during maternity leave and upon return to work, and compared to 201 non-pregnant participants. No significant changes in health-promoting behaviors were observed from pregnancy through the postpartum. Pregnant participants reported better nutrition than comparison participants (p=.001), and were more likely to check their pulse when exercising (p=.004). During pregnancy, health-promoting behaviors were related to parental status, with first-time mothers engaging in more positive behaviors. Correlates of PA during maternity leave and return to work included family income and exercise history. Positive family-to-work spillover was significantly greater among pregnant women than among comparison participants (p<.001), and positive work-to-family spillover was related to greater PA upon return to work (p<.01). This study reveals little variability in health-promoting behaviors from the prenatal to the postpartum period. Both demographic and psychosocial factors have effects on health-promoting behaviors, and we must look to these correlates to promote increased PA.

Health-Risk Behaviour of Women and Men—Differences According to Partnership and Parenthood. Results of the German Health Update (GEDA) Survey 2009–2010

“…Unfortunately, in our analysis, we were unable to differentiate between leisure-time activity and household activity. Other research has shown that with entry to parenthood, leisure-time activity is replaced by household activity because of a change in roles (Candelaria et al 2012;Grace et al 2006;Scharff et al 1999;Sternfeld et al 1999). As mothers usually engage more often in the care of children, their physical activity related to child-care (e.g., spending time on the playground or carrying the child) may be an important influence lacking in fathers.…”

Life Events and Changing Physical Activity Patterns in Women at Different Life Stages

“…In a smaller Canadian study, there was little change in PA during pregnancy, maternity leave, and on return to work, and PA remained below recommended levels 1 year post-partum [17]. In contrast, in the study of Swedish teenagers, having children increased the risk of inactivity in women but not in men [15].…”

Predictors of Physical Activity Change Among Adults Using Observational Designs

“…Our review yielded eight independent datasets that fit these criteria [36,40,45,52,66,78,79,107]. All used self-reported PA as a dependent variable with the exception of Rhodes et al [45] who assessed MVPA with accelerometry.…”

“…All used self-reported PA as a dependent variable with the exception of Rhodes et al [45] who assessed MVPA with accelerometry. Six studies examined women exclusively [36,40,45,52,79,107], three studies had exclusive assessments of men [45,52,79], and two studies contained an amalgam of men and women under ''parents'' [66,78]. Among women, five of the six studies [36,40,45,52,79] showed a significant and small to medium sized effect decline in PA related to motherhood.…”