Pre-natal Physical Therapy

Abstract

Background Information: During the pre-natal period, a woman can suffer various physiological and physical changes. Sometimes, these changes carry over to the post-natal period.Therefore, it is important for all pregnant women to understand their changing bodies pre-natally to optimize post-natal recovery and the possible complications can be treat with physical therapy that consists of a series of physical activities and exercises that are  strengthening and preparing the future mother for the moment of the birth.

Purpose: To identify how the pre- natal physical therapy can be treat the most physical discomforts experienced during pregnancy as a shortness of breath, diastasis recti, leg cramps, sacro-iliac joint dysfunction, pubic symphysis pain and/or separation, thoracic pain, urinary incontinence, and constipation, helping to improve the physical and emotional well-being of the pregnant women.

Methods: twenty pregnant women without associated pathologies of various ages participated in several sessions of pre- natal physical therapy throughout pregnancy until one week before childbirth in the office of the commune, treated by a physical therapy and a midwife, to observe the benefits of this procedure in users.

Results:  of this research, we found that almost 90% of pregnant women in the study, no complications during pregnancy, childbirth and / or postnatal period.

Conclusions: For all this, it’s very important for pregnant women to receive the pre-natal care across the physical therapy since it help to reduce the discomforts that commonly are experienced during the gestation and avoid possible complications in the childbirth and post-natal period.

Key Words: pregnancy, physical therapy, exercises, childbirth.