MOHW launches physical activity, pregnancy guide
Expectant mothers encouraged to incorporate moderate exercise into their daily lives
EXPECTANT MOTHERS are being encouraged to incorporate moderate exercise into their daily routine in order to reap the various health benefits of physical activity during the different trimester stages.
During Wednesday’s launch of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ physical activity and pregnancy guide at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St. Andrew, Dr. Claudia Allen-Burton, obstetrician-gynaecologist at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital, highlighteda myriad of immediate and longterm benefits.
She emphasised that physical activity or any form of recreational movement can improve the quality of the life and health of the mother and her baby, as well as reduce the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
The launch coincided with the observance of Move for Health Day, which is an annual global initiative that was created in 2002 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is observed on May 10 to promote physical activity.
She reassured pregnant women that exercise is “completely safe” once the expectant mother did not have any complications or prior worrying health conditions that would prevent her from engaging in exercise.
Some of the benefits which physical activity brings to the expectant mother are: promoting healthy weight gain; improving the mood of the mother and reducing the risk of postpartum anxiety and depression, along with other mood disorders; helping to reduce the effect or worsening of chronic illnesses or (risk of ) developing them; reducing certain complications surrounding labour and delivery of the baby, and reducing physical aches and pains; and constipation.
Elaborating on the issue of postpartum depression, she noted that according to international health reports, it affects 15 per cent or about one in seven individuals and involves emotional highs and lows causing the individual – whether birthing mother, surrogate or adoptive parent – to experience extreme sadness or loneliness, severe mood swings and frequent crying spells.
For postpartum anxiety, reports stated that about 11 to 21 per cent or about one in six women are affected with many signs of postpartum depression overlapping with postpartum anxiety.
“If we are serious about reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, we need to tackle the underpinning causes and obesity and inactivity is one of the issue for mommies,” she said.
She added that other main causes of mortality in pregnancy include haemorrhage, sepsis or overwhelming infections and clots.
CHAMPIONING PREVENTION
In his contribution to the Sectoral Debate on May 3, Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton revealled that more young people were dying due to NCDs, and, as such, the ministry was making efforts to promote Jamaicans to get screened once on a yearly basis to know their status and make the necessary lifestyle changes under the ‘Know Your Numbers’, initiative which aims to get 500,000 screening tests done.
Approximately 236,000 or nine per cent of the country’s population have diabetes and about 679,000 or a quarter of all Jamaicans are reported to have hypertension.
In her remarks, Dr. Melody Ennis, director of family health, expressed that it was a blessing for individuals to be able to move around and implored individuals to not take it for granted as there were others who, while alive, were bedridden and dependent on the assistance of others.
She encouraged both t he immediate and extended family to support mothers in their “quest for movement”.
“Happy mothers make happy fathers [and] happy mommy and daddy is gonna make happy babies and happy families i s going to make a happy country,” she said.
Juliet Cuthbert Flynn, state minister of health, said that she was extremely pleased to be able to launch the pregnancy guide. It not only served as a piece of work that dispelled the myths that women could not engage in physical activities while pregnant, but also included educational information for expectant mothers and detailed the dos and don’ts when exercising.
“We are championing t he prevention ahead of curative,” she said of the l aunch. She further stated that the overall aim of the initiative was to spread awareness of how individuals in various communities and across the island could promote health and well-being.
“As a people we must accept the shared responsibility for [the] national health burden by adjusting our attitudes and adjusting our mindset for the benefit and wel-lbeing for all of us,” she added.
The guide which was distributed to representatives from the four regional health authorities will also be made available across the various antenatal clinics in Jamaica.
The guide states that pregnant women should get at least 30 minutes of physical activity five days per week. Safe activities include stretching, walking, swimming and dancing. Some activities to avoid include contact sports, riding a bicycle and activities performed above 6,000 feet.
Cuthbert Flynn further urged mothers to visit their doctor’s office after they have given birth.