KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF PREGNANT WOMEN TOWARDS ANTENATAL PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN UYO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards antenatal physical exercise in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria with four research questions and two null hypotheses tested at 0.05 level of significance. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study population consisted of 1,206 pregnant women from the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UTTH) who registered for antenatal clinic services. A sample size of 400 pregnant women was selected using simple random sampling technique, specifically the hat and draw method, to give all members of the study population an equal chance of being selected. The sample size was determined using Taro Yamane's (1994) formula. A researcher-designed instrument, the Knowledge and Attitude toward Antenatal Physical Exercise Questionnaire (KAAPEQ), was used for data collection.. KAAPEQ was validated by three experts and had reliability indices of 0.87 and 0.79 using Cronbach Alpha Statistic.. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer research questions, while two-way ANOVA was used to test null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The results revealed that both age and educational background significantly influence pregnant women's attitudes towards antenatal physical exercise in Uyo Local Government Area. based on the findings of this study, it was recommended among others that healthcare providers should incorporate education and promotion of antenatal physical exercise into routine prenatal care.Policymakers should develop and implement policies supporting antenatal physical exercise programs in healthcare facilities and communities.