Help us explore how exercise changes over early, middle and late pregnancy

We need pregnant volunteers to help us research how fear of harm and motivation towards exercise affects exercise behaviours throughout pregnancy.

We’re conducting a research study to help us better understand the role of motivation and support from midwifery and consultant-led care in women’s relationship with exercise during pregnancy.

Being regularly active is key to supporting the body’s physical changes during pregnancy, the growing baby’s health, and individual mental wellbeing. However, a significant number of women tend to show lower levels of physical activity once they become pregnant.

A large percentage of women in the UK are physically active and take part in recreational exercise and/or sport, but a lack of guidance on how to maintain this during pregnancy can sometimes lead to feelings of fear and worries about harm being caused to the unborn baby.

To date, no research has examined the combined effects of fear of harm, lack of motivation, and limited informed guidance from midwives on exercise choices made during pregnancy.

We hope to change this and give specialists the knowledge and tools to better support and advise women around exercise during pregnancy.

Take part in this research study

We're recruiting participants until 1 April 2026.

What you’ll do

The study is completely remote. You’ll use a smartwatch, which we will provide, and a free smartphone app, which will be used to ask you real-time questions.

You’ll start by taking part in a 30-minute online appointment to organise your data collection periods and get set up with the free app (called M-path). The research team will use this to send you daily questions.

After this, you’ll receive an activity monitor in the post, which you’ll wear for seven days, while completing short scale based questions on motivation and fear.

You’ll then post the smartwatch back to the researcher in the prepaid envelope provided, and answer a questionnaire. This repeats twice more, roughly eight weeks apart.

Eligibility

To take part in this research study, you must:

be aged between 18 and 40 years old
no more than 17 weeks pregnant
able to read and understand English
have a smartphone

What you’ll get for taking part

On successful completion of the study, you will be entered into a prize draw for a £25 Love2Shop voucher as compensation for your time.

Your data

All data will be treated as confidential. Nobody outside the research team will be able to see your name or contact details — you'll be allocated a project code instead. We'll keep all information about you safe and secure.

After the study, we will keep some of the data to check the results. When we write the report, it will be done so in a way that you won't be identifiable.

Ethical approval

This study has been reviewed and approved by the University of Bath Biomedical Research Ethics Council. Reference number: 9548-14924

This study has also received full HRA approval (Liverpool Central REC. IRAS number: 354478)

Join this research study

Contact us

If you have any questions about this research study, please contact us.