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Muscle strength during pregnancy and postpartum in adolescents and adults
Maria Luiza da Silva Santos1, Sabrina Gabrielle Gomes Fernandes Macêdo2, Juliana Fernandes3
1Faculty of Health Sciences of Trairi, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Santa Cruz, Brazil.
Insights
Adolescent women experience greater hip adductor muscle weakness during pregnancy and postpartum compared to adults. This finding suggests a need for targeted resistance training and physical therapy for adolescent mothers.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Musculoskeletal Health
- Adolescent Medicine
Background:
- Adolescent childbirth is linked to long-term diminished physical function.
- Muscle strength loss during pregnancy and postpartum may explain these differences.
- Limited research exists on adolescent vs. adult muscle strength changes during gestation and after birth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare hand grip strength and hip adductor muscle strength in adolescent and adult primigravid women.
- To assess these strength measures during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
- To identify potential differences in muscle weakness between age groups.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study involving adolescent (13-18 years) and adult (23-28 years) primigravid women.
- Muscle strength assessed at three timepoints: before 16 weeks gestation, third trimester, and 4-6 weeks postpartum.
- Hand grip strength and hip adductor strength measured using dynamometry; weakness defined by specific thresholds.
Main Results:
- Adolescents showed a higher prevalence of hip adductor weakness in the third trimester (62.5%) compared to adults (31.8%).
- Longitudinal analyses confirmed this higher proportion of hip adductor weakness in adolescents.
- All women exhibited increased odds of hip adductor weakness in the third trimester and postpartum compared to early pregnancy.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent women are at higher risk for hip adductor weakness during and after pregnancy.
- These findings highlight the potential need for resistance training interventions during and after pregnancy for adolescents.
- Physical therapy may be beneficial for adolescent mothers experiencing muscle weakness or injury.
Abstract:
Adolescent childbirth is associated with worse physical function over the long-term. Differential loss of muscle strength during pregnancy and postpartum for adolescents compared to adults may be one explanation for this, but research examining these differences is lacking. The objective of this study as to assess hand grip strength and hip adduction muscle strength in adolescents and adults during pregnancy and postpartum. A prospective cohort study was carried out with adolescent (13 to 18 years) and adult (23 to 28 years) primigravid women. Assessments were performed at three timepoints: before the 16th gestational week, during the third trimester, and between the fourth and sixth week postpartum. Hand grip strength (continuous and muscle weakness if ≤ 20.67 kgf) and hip adductor measures (continuous and muscle weakness if ≤ 13.8 kgf) were assessed using dynamometry. Generalized estimating equations modelled longitudinal relationships between muscle weakness and age group. More adolescents had hip adductor weakness than adults in the third trimester of pregnancy (62.5% vs. 31.8%, p < 0.005), which was corroborated by the longitudinal analyses. For all women, there were higher odds of hip adductor weakness in the third trimester (OR = 4.35; p< 0.001) and postpartum (OR = 9.45; p < 0.001) compared to the 16th gestational week. No significant difference in HGS was observed between age groups or across the different timepoints. The higher proportion of hip adductor weakness among adolescents may indicate a need for resistance training during and after pregnancy and physical therapy if weakness or injury is noted.
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