General Health Status and Physical Activity Level of Pregnant Women in Bojnord, Iran During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Major changes to lifestyle due to the COVID-19 pandemic increased the potential risk of psychological disorders among pregnant women. This study aims to investigate the general health status of pregnant women in Bojnord, Iran, and assess its relationship with their physical activity level.

This is a descriptive-correlational study. The statistical population consists of all pregnant women referred to prenatal care centers in Bojnord city, of whom 55 were selected as the study samples. The instruments were the pregnancy physical activity questionnaire and the 28-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-28). Spearman correlation test was used to analyze the correlation between the two variables.

The mean scores for the GHQ-28 subscales of somatic symptoms, severe depression, social dysfunction, and anxiety/insomnia were 11.90, 11.91, 12.97, and 16.49, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between general health status and level of physical activity (r=0.54; P<0.001). Regarding the four dimensions of GHQ-28, the results showed that physical activity had a negative and significant relationship with somatic symptoms (r=-0.61) and severe depression (r=-0.33), but it had no significant relationship with anxiety/insomnia and social dysfunction.

Pregnant women in Bojnord, Iran, are at risk of problems in several domains of general health during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is recommended that they stay active or engage in physical activity to regulate the psychological effects of the pandemic and quarantine.