Physical activity and its correlates among pregnant women from the French national cohort ELFE

Background Most pregnant women do not reach the minimum recommended level of 150 min/week of moderate physical activity (MPA). Most previous studies of correlates focused on leisure time physical activity (LTPA) ignoring other domains of MPA (occupational, household/childcare, transportation). This article aims to estimate the proportion of French pregnant women meeting physical activity (PA) guidelines, and identify sociodemographic, and maternal health and behavioural correlates, whenever only LTPA or overall MPA is considered. Methods A total of 14,484 pregnant women included in 2011 in the French national ELFE birth cohort reported their PA during the last trimester of their pregnancy using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire. Women spending ≥450 MET-min/week in MPA (i.e., ≥150 min/week in activities at ≥3 METs) were considered reaching recommended PA levels. Sociodemographic and maternal health and behavioural correlates associated, respectively, with meeting PA guidelines for LTPA and having a high overall MPA (defined as an overall MPA ≥70 ^th percentile) were assessed by multivariable logistic regressions. Results Most of the pregnant women reported engaging in LTPA during the last three months of pregnancy (92.3%), with walking as main activity; however, about 28.0% of women met guidelines for LTPA. Adding other MPA (transportation, household/caregiving, occupational) drastically increased this estimate (up to 85.6%). Primiparity, higher education and income levels, and a higher number of prenatal classes attended were positively associated with meeting guidelines for LTPA, but negatively with having high overall MPA levels. Younger age was positively associated with high MPA whereas not working during the last trimester of pregnancy was negatively associated with high MPA. Pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity were negatively associated with meeting guidelines for LTPA. Being single was positively associated with both outcomes. Conclusions Most sociodemographic and maternal correlates examined had differing associations with engaging in sufficient LTPA or high overall MPA. In particular, associations with indicators of social vulnerability were in opposite directions. These results call for continuing efforts to promote PA during pregnancy while inviting to specify which activities (type/context) provide optimum health benefits. Trial registration Not applicable.