Research overview
Physical activity during pregnancy is a significant and modifiable risk factor for adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes, such as postpartum recovery, wellbeing and breastfeeding outcomes. However, despite robust evidence that regular physical activity reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, excessive gestational weight gain, and postpartum depression, less than 15% of pregnant women in Australia meet national activity guidelines. Many women report reducing their physical activity during late pregnancy due to psychosocial factors such as fatigue, safety concerns and limited social support. Therefore, safe, effective, scalable strategies to promote physical activity in late pregnancy are urgently needed.
This project will adapt and evaluate the evidence based ‘Ask, Advise, Help’ brief intervention framework, established in smoking cessation practice, to promote physical activity in late pregnancy as part of routine care by General Practitioners (GP) at Western Family Practice in Balcatta. At the routine 28-week antenatal consultation, GPs will provide the brief-intervention to assess physical activity, deliver tailored advice, and support behaviour change. To target the ‘Help’ component of the framework, women will be invited to participate in a community-based walking group (twice weekly in metropolitan Perth) and a WhatsApp peer support group to enhance social support and engagement. Women who provide informed consent will complete surveys at three time points (28 weeks gestation, 36 weeks gestation and 6 weeks postpartum), assessing physical activity behaviour, breastfeeding outcomes (confidence, initiation, duration) and postpartum recovery and wellbeing.
This project targets a key antenatal behaviour that may influence both immediate and long term maternal and infant health outcomes. The findings will inform scalable, primary care-based strategies to support physical activity, breastfeeding and postpartum wellbeing in Western Australia and beyond. Specifically, the findings will establish the preliminary efficacy of the intervention and generate the evidence base for larger randomised controlled trials.
Project researchers
Dr Caitlin Liddlelow
Funders
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Project timeline
2026 – 2027
