Multimedia for Exercise During Pregnancy and Postpartum

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Women's exercise is significantly reduced during pregnancy and postpartum due to the physical and psychological demands of childbearing. For example, about 60 percent of pregnant women are sedentary, which is significantly above the national average of 25 percent for U.S. adults. Thus, pregnancy and postpartum are strong contributors to either a sedentary or a low active lifestyle, thereby placing these women at increased risk for cardiovascular and related diseases. Exercise interventions increase exercise behavior during pregnancy and reduce excessive weight gain and the severity of the physical (e.g., nausea) and psychological (e.g., depression, anxiety) symptoms experienced during this time. Most women, however, are unaware of the guidelines and prescriptions for and the physiological and psychological effects of exercise during pregnancy and postpartum. Multimedia can be used to present exercise interventions economically and efficiently to pregnant and postpartum women. Consequently, the primary purpose of this STTR project is to develop a behavioral multimedia package to achieve these desirable effects. Phase I tasks will include: (a) developing content for the CD-ROM; (b) examining the accuracy and usability of the generated content; (c) producing a prototype CD-ROM; (d) evaluating the acceptability, usability, and potential utility of the prototype CD-ROM with the target population; (e) pilot testing measures and procedures to be used in Phase II; and (f) finalizing plans to produce a revised prototype CD-ROM and evaluate its effects on pregnant and postpartum women's knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and behavioral intentions regarding exercise in Phase II.