• German Midwives recognise themselves as key healthcare providers for physical activity counselling during and after pregnancy. • However, most Midwives had limited knowledge about the WHO guidelines on physical activity. • German Midwives’ knowledge on physical activity needs to be strengthened through targeted educational efforts. Physical activity (PA) during pregnancy and the postpartum period improves maternal and child health. However, there are no guidelines for Germany and it is not known to what extent midwives are informed about international PA guidelines. This study aimed to characterise midwives’ beliefs, current practices, and knowledge of recommendations on PA during pregnancy and the postpartum period. A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among practising midwives ( n = 311) from May to August 2023. Data were descriptively analysed to characterize midwives’ beliefs, current practices, and knowledge about PA, including awareness of international PA recommendations. Most midwives recognised the importance of PA and believed in the importance of their counselling. However, midwives’ current practices and recommendations on PA varied widely. Only 16.1% of the midwives reported being aware of international PA guidelines during pregnancy and 5.8% during the postpartum period. Midwives are in a key position to influence maternal and child health, but their knowledge and guidance on PA recommendations leave room for improvement. This highlights the importance of optimized education and training in this area.
Neumann et al. (Sun,) studied this question.