{"id":{"repo_id":"uts","oai_identifier":"oai:opus.lib.uts.edu.au:10453/177958"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/uts/oai:opus.lib.uts.edu.au:10453/177958","repository":{"repo_id":"uts","name":"University of Technology Sydney","base_url":"https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Antenatal exercise using an innovative exergame program","abstract":"Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy is an important modifiable factor that can improve physical health and prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, many pregnant women do not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Perceived barriers to exercise for pregnant women have been identified; hence, innovative approaches to overcome these barriers are critical. One such potential innovative approach may be exergames, emerging technologies designed to encourage physical activity in an engaging and entertaining manner, requiring physical activity as part of gameplay. Hence, this thesis aimed to evaluate the feasibility, potential efficacy and acceptability of home-based exergaming programs tailored for pregnant women. Methods: The intervention was a home-based exergaming program tailored for pregnant women, with follow-up from 16 weeks of gestation to birth. The exergaming program was designed by a team with multidisciplinary expertise, in accordance with physical activity guidelines for pregnant women. The team evaluated the suitability and safety of Nintendo Switch exercises for use by pregnant women using an expert’s heuristic evaluation. Based on this initial exploratory work, the team developed exergame programs tailored specifically for pregnant women. A single-arm pre-post testing design was employed to investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the exergame programs. A qualitative study design was adopted to explore women's views and experiences of exergaming during pregnancy. Participants were interviewed post-intervention (near birth). Results: There was a significant increase in physical activity levels, measured in metabolic equivalents (Mets), from the trial entry to the mid-intervention (p=0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between physical activity levels and adherence to the exergame programs (r=0.83, p=0.02). The mean adherence to the exergaming program was 67.2±16.3%. No injuries associated with the exergaming were reported. Additionally, no complications or adverse outcomes were reported for both mothers and babies. The women participants found that the exergaming programs are convenient, motivating and easy to use during pregnancy. Conclusion: The exergaming program was found to be a convenient, enjoyable and feasible approach for encouraging physical activity during pregnancy, given that it was tailored according to individual pregnant women's needs and trimesters of pregnancy. The study findings also demonstrated that the exergaming program has the potential to increase physical activity levels with acceptable adherence. Our findings imply the potential of exergames in promoting physical activity and addressing barriers to physical activity during pregnancy. As such, larger-scale randomised control trials are warranted to investigate the effect of exergaming during pregnancy.","abstract_html":"Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy is an important modifiable factor that can improve physical health and prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, many pregnant women do not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Perceived barriers to exercise for pregnant women have been identified; hence, innovative approaches to overcome these barriers are critical. One such potential innovative approach may be exergames, emerging technologies designed to encourage physical activity in an engaging and entertaining manner, requiring physical activity as part of gameplay. Hence, this thesis aimed to evaluate the feasibility, potential efficacy and acceptability of home-based exergaming programs tailored for pregnant women. Methods: The intervention was a home-based exergaming program tailored for pregnant women, with follow-up from 16 weeks of gestation to birth. The exergaming program was designed by a team with multidisciplinary expertise, in accordance with physical activity guidelines for pregnant women. The team evaluated the suitability and safety of Nintendo Switch exercises for use by pregnant women using an expert’s heuristic evaluation. Based on this initial exploratory work, the team developed exergame programs tailored specifically for pregnant women. A single-arm pre-post testing design was employed to investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the exergame programs. A qualitative study design was adopted to explore women's views and experiences of exergaming during pregnancy. Participants were interviewed post-intervention (near birth). Results: There was a significant increase in physical activity levels, measured in metabolic equivalents (Mets), from the trial entry to the mid-intervention (p=0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between physical activity levels and adherence to the exergame programs (r=0.83, p=0.02). The mean adherence to the exergaming program was 67.2±16.3%. No injuries associated with the exergaming were reported. Additionally, no complications or adverse outcomes were reported for both mothers and babies. The women participants found that the exergaming programs are convenient, motivating and easy to use during pregnancy. Conclusion: The exergaming program was found to be a convenient, enjoyable and feasible approach for encouraging physical activity during pregnancy, given that it was tailored according to individual pregnant women's needs and trimesters of pregnancy. The study findings also demonstrated that the exergaming program has the potential to increase physical activity levels with acceptable adherence. Our findings imply the potential of exergames in promoting physical activity and addressing barriers to physical activity during pregnancy. As such, larger-scale randomised control trials are warranted to investigate the effect of exergaming during pregnancy.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wirtu, Gemechu Kumera"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024","date_published":"2024","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:32:20Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en_US"],"rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.","© 2024 Gemechu Kumera Wirtu","au.edu.uts.lib/nph"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177958","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Wirtu, Gemechu Kumera"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-04-16T02:44:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-04-16T02:44:21Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024"]},{"key":"dc:relation","label":"Dc Relation","values":["https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/177958/1/thesis.pdf"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en_US"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.","© 2024 Gemechu Kumera Wirtu","au.edu.uts.lib/nph"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177958"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy is an important modifiable factor that can improve physical health and prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, many pregnant women do not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Perceived barriers to exercise for pregnant women have been identified; hence, innovative approaches to overcome these barriers are critical. One such potential innovative approach may be exergames, emerging technologies designed to encourage physical activity in an engaging and entertaining manner, requiring physical activity as part of gameplay. Hence, this thesis aimed to evaluate the feasibility, potential efficacy and acceptability of home-based exergaming programs tailored for pregnant women. Methods: The intervention was a home-based exergaming program tailored for pregnant women, with follow-up from 16 weeks of gestation to birth. The exergaming program was designed by a team with multidisciplinary expertise, in accordance with physical activity guidelines for pregnant women. The team evaluated the suitability and safety of Nintendo Switch exercises for use by pregnant women using an expert’s heuristic evaluation. Based on this initial exploratory work, the team developed exergame programs tailored specifically for pregnant women. A single-arm pre-post testing design was employed to investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the exergame programs. A qualitative study design was adopted to explore women's views and experiences of exergaming during pregnancy. Participants were interviewed post-intervention (near birth). Results: There was a significant increase in physical activity levels, measured in metabolic equivalents (Mets), from the trial entry to the mid-intervention (p=0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between physical activity levels and adherence to the exergame programs (r=0.83, p=0.02). The mean adherence to the exergaming program was 67.2±16.3%. No injuries associated with the exergaming were reported. Additionally, no complications or adverse outcomes were reported for both mothers and babies. The women participants found that the exergaming programs are convenient, motivating and easy to use during pregnancy. Conclusion: The exergaming program was found to be a convenient, enjoyable and feasible approach for encouraging physical activity during pregnancy, given that it was tailored according to individual pregnant women's needs and trimesters of pregnancy. The study findings also demonstrated that the exergaming program has the potential to increase physical activity levels with acceptable adherence. Our findings imply the potential of exergames in promoting physical activity and addressing barriers to physical activity during pregnancy. As such, larger-scale randomised control trials are warranted to investigate the effect of exergaming during pregnancy."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["Thesis (PhD)"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Antenatal exercise using an innovative exergame program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Wirtu, Gemechu Kumera"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-04-16T02:44:21Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-04-16T02:44:21Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024"],"dc:description":["University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Health."],"dc:description.abstract":["Background: Regular physical activity during pregnancy is an important modifiable factor that can improve physical health and prevent adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. However, many pregnant women do not meet the current recommendations for physical activity. Perceived barriers to exercise for pregnant women have been identified; hence, innovative approaches to overcome these barriers are critical. One such potential innovative approach may be exergames, emerging technologies designed to encourage physical activity in an engaging and entertaining manner, requiring physical activity as part of gameplay. Hence, this thesis aimed to evaluate the feasibility, potential efficacy and acceptability of home-based exergaming programs tailored for pregnant women. Methods: The intervention was a home-based exergaming program tailored for pregnant women, with follow-up from 16 weeks of gestation to birth. The exergaming program was designed by a team with multidisciplinary expertise, in accordance with physical activity guidelines for pregnant women. The team evaluated the suitability and safety of Nintendo Switch exercises for use by pregnant women using an expert’s heuristic evaluation. Based on this initial exploratory work, the team developed exergame programs tailored specifically for pregnant women. A single-arm pre-post testing design was employed to investigate the feasibility and potential efficacy of the exergame programs. A qualitative study design was adopted to explore women's views and experiences of exergaming during pregnancy. Participants were interviewed post-intervention (near birth). Results: There was a significant increase in physical activity levels, measured in metabolic equivalents (Mets), from the trial entry to the mid-intervention (p=0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between physical activity levels and adherence to the exergame programs (r=0.83, p=0.02). The mean adherence to the exergaming program was 67.2±16.3%. No injuries associated with the exergaming were reported. Additionally, no complications or adverse outcomes were reported for both mothers and babies. The women participants found that the exergaming programs are convenient, motivating and easy to use during pregnancy. Conclusion: The exergaming program was found to be a convenient, enjoyable and feasible approach for encouraging physical activity during pregnancy, given that it was tailored according to individual pregnant women's needs and trimesters of pregnancy. The study findings also demonstrated that the exergaming program has the potential to increase physical activity levels with acceptable adherence. Our findings imply the potential of exergames in promoting physical activity and addressing barriers to physical activity during pregnancy. As such, larger-scale randomised control trials are warranted to investigate the effect of exergaming during pregnancy."],"dc:format":["Thesis (PhD)"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177958"],"dc:language.iso":["en_US"],"dc:relation":["https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/bitstream/10453/177958/1/thesis.pdf"],"dc:rights":["info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess","The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.","© 2024 Gemechu Kumera Wirtu","au.edu.uts.lib/nph"],"dc:title":["Antenatal exercise using an innovative exergame program"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:32:20Z"}