TY - JOUR
T1 - Balancing benefits and risks of exercise in pregnancy: a qualitative analysis of social media discussion
AU - Cote, Emilie
AU - Benton, Madeleine
AU - Gardner, Rachael
AU - Tribe, Rachel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024.
PY - 2024/10/11
Y1 - 2024/10/11
N2 - Exercise improves pregnancy outcomes, but few pregnant individuals meet physical activity guidelines. The main objective of this study was to explore the perception of exercise during pregnancy using posts and comments on Reddit, a large social media platform. Relevant user-generated posts and comments were identified on Reddit by searching systematically for a combination of keywords related to pregnancy and exercise. A dataset of 120 posts and 2892 comments was randomly selected for reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes relating to perceptions of benefits and risks to exercise in pregnancy and how they influence decision-making were generated: (1) perceived benefits of exercise: ‘We all know that exercise is good for us’; (2) perceived risks of exercise: Exercise as ‘off limits’; and (3) information seeking and decision-making: ‘I’m kinda stumped on exercise’. While the benefits of exercise during pregnancy are well recognised among Reddit users, perceived risks significantly influence their decisions to start, continue, adjust or stop exercising. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in guiding these exercise choices, emphasising the need for them to provide evidence-based advice and support pregnant individuals in achieving optimal physical activity levels. Addressing misinformation and providing supportive counselling can help pregnant individuals navigate the complexities of exercise during this critical period.
AB - Exercise improves pregnancy outcomes, but few pregnant individuals meet physical activity guidelines. The main objective of this study was to explore the perception of exercise during pregnancy using posts and comments on Reddit, a large social media platform. Relevant user-generated posts and comments were identified on Reddit by searching systematically for a combination of keywords related to pregnancy and exercise. A dataset of 120 posts and 2892 comments was randomly selected for reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes relating to perceptions of benefits and risks to exercise in pregnancy and how they influence decision-making were generated: (1) perceived benefits of exercise: ‘We all know that exercise is good for us’; (2) perceived risks of exercise: Exercise as ‘off limits’; and (3) information seeking and decision-making: ‘I’m kinda stumped on exercise’. While the benefits of exercise during pregnancy are well recognised among Reddit users, perceived risks significantly influence their decisions to start, continue, adjust or stop exercising. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in guiding these exercise choices, emphasising the need for them to provide evidence-based advice and support pregnant individuals in achieving optimal physical activity levels. Addressing misinformation and providing supportive counselling can help pregnant individuals navigate the complexities of exercise during this critical period.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85207657292&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002176
DO - 10.1136/bmjsem-2024-002176
M3 - Article
SN - 2055-7647
VL - 10
JO - BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine
JF - BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine
IS - 4
M1 - e002176
ER -