Determination Of Physical Activity, Sleep And Stress Level Of Pregnant Women In The Covıd-19 Quarantine Period

A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The COVID-19 has spread rapidly and posed a health threat of unknown magnitude globally. World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020 (1).

The first COVID-19 case was detected in Turkey on March 11, 2020, treatment-resistant cases of pneumonia spread rapidly. Swift and protective measures have been taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The protective measures included early diagnosis, public health quarantine or physical isolation and symptomatic monitoring of contacts as well as confirmed and suspended cases.

Quarantine or physical isolation, who may have or have been infected by a contagious disease to control or limit contamination. Modern quarantine strategies include short- and medium-term deadlocks, voluntary home curfew, cancellation of planned social and public events, restrictions on the assembly of groups of people, closure of public transport systems and other travel bans. Universities were closed during the spring semester and various institutions interrupted their activities. In addition, people were asked to stay home as much as possible to avoid unnecessary social contact. Pregnant women should take the same precautions to avoid COVID-19 infection as other people.

Going early and regularly for prenatal care can help moms-to-be (and their babies) stay healthy. Regular care lets doctors find and deal with any problems as soon as possible. It's important to start prenatal care as early as possible - ideally, before a woman even becomes pregnant. However, due to the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in Turkey, it is not recommended to go to the hospitals unless it is obligatory. This is thought to be another reason for anxiety in pregnant women, in addition to the hours spent at home for social isolation. Moreover, the uncertainty of the hospital conditions can be thought as another cause of stress among pregnant women in the last trimester.

Additionally, it is obvious that physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial for both the woman and foetus. There is some evidence that physical activity during pregnancy is associated with a reduced length of labor and delivery complications. Taking a brisk walk, swimming and water workouts, low-impact aerobics classes, Yoga and Pilates classes are really preferred. However, it is not possible to do such group exercises and outdoor sports due to social isolation and it can affect the physical activity level of the pregnant women.