*Article* **Relationships between Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Pregnant Women in the Second and Third Trimester**

### **Justyna Krzepota 1,\*, Dorota Sadowska 2 and Elzbieta Biernat ˙ 3**


Received: 26 October 2018; Accepted: 3 December 2018; Published: 5 December 2018

**Abstract:** Background: The problem of an inadequate level of physical activity (PA) is important in the context of its relationship with the quality of life (QoL) of pregnan<sup>t</sup> women. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships between PA and QoL among pregnan<sup>t</sup> women. Methods: The study analyzed 346 questionnaires filled in by pregnan<sup>t</sup> women (157 in the second trimester and 189 in the third). The tool used for assessment of PA was the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire-Polish version (PPAQ-PL). The quality of life (QoL) was assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-short form (WHOQoL-Bref). The results obtained from the PPAQ-PL and WHOQoL-Bref questionnaires for women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and intergroup differences were analyzed. Results: There was a significant correlation in the group of women in the second trimester of pregnancy between quality of life in the *physical health domain* and the intensity and type of physical activity. The women who rated their quality of life higher in this domain declared higher energy expenditures (EE) associated with *vigorous activity* (*R* = 0.159, *p* ≤ 0.05), as well as with *occupational activity* (*R* = 0.166; *p* ≤ 0.05) and *sport*/*exercise* activity (*R* = 0.187; *p* ≤ 0.05). In women in the third trimester, higher EE related to *sport*/*exercise activity* coincided with higher assessments of the *overall quality of life* (*R* = 0.149, *p* ≤ 0.05) and *general health* (*R* = 0.170, *p* ≤ 0.05). In the case of the *psychological domain* (*R* = 0.161, *p* ≤ 0.05) and *social relationship domain* (*R* = 0.188; *p* ≤ 0.05) of QoL, positive correlations occurred with EE related to *vigorous activity*. In contrast, high assessment of *physical health domain* coincided with higher EE related to *occupational activity* (*R* = 0.174; *p* ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: Our study makes an important contribution to knowledge concerning the correlations between PA and QoL in pregnancy. The results sugges<sup>t</sup> the need for improvement in prenatal care and promotion of PA programs for pregnan<sup>t</sup> women.

**Keywords:** physical activity in pregnancy; PPAQ; quality of life; WHOQoL-Bref; pregnan<sup>t</sup> women
