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Preconception to postpartum accelerometry-based 24-hour movement behaviors: a prospective cohort study
Anne H Y Chu1,2, Natarajan Padmapriya3,4, Shuen Lin Tan5
1Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 12 Science Drive 2, Singapore, 117549, Singapore. anne.chu@u.nus.edu.
BMC Public Health
|January 7, 2026
Summary
Physical activity (PA) and sleep patterns change significantly across preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum. Promoting sustained moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA and addressing postpartum sleep decline are crucial for maternal health.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Maternal Health
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep) are critical for maternal and child health but understudied longitudinally.
- Limited data exists on accelerometer-measured movement patterns, including weekday-weekend variations, across the preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate longitudinal changes in physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep patterns.
- To analyze these changes from preconception through 12-month postpartum using objective accelerometry data.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study in Singapore involving 139 women aged 18-45.
- Accelerometry data collected at preconception, mid-pregnancy (24-28 weeks), and 12-month postpartum.
- Generalized estimating equations used to analyze changes in PA intensity, sedentary behavior, and sleep duration.
Main Results:
- Moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA decreased during pregnancy, with vigorous PA remaining low postpartum. Light-intensity PA increased postpartum.
- Sedentary behavior increased in mid-pregnancy but decreased postpartum. Sleep duration decreased postpartum.
- No significant weekday-weekend differences in moderate/vigorous PA; less light PA and more sedentary behavior on weekdays during mid-pregnancy and postpartum.
Conclusions:
- Promote sustained moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA throughout the perinatal period, emphasizing postpartum recovery.
- Leverage increased postpartum light-intensity PA to reduce sedentary behavior, especially on weekdays.
- Implement strategies to support maternal sleep, particularly during weekdays, due to observed postpartum decline.
