The impact of pregnancy on foot health

Abstract

Although pregnancy should be a joyous experience to all expectant mothers, it is also known to bring about a number of bodily changes which could impose lifestyle limitations throughout the nine months of pregnancy. In this study, the authors sought to evaluate the impact of pregnancy on foot health. A prospective non-experimental study was conducted. The authors interviewed 40 expectant Maltese mothers using the Bristol Foot Score (BFS). Results showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) in foot health in the recruited subjects from Time 0 (15 weeks pregnancy) to Time 1 (37 weeks pregnancy), implying that pregnancy imposes a negative impact on foot health. This finding is of key importance and needs to be taken into consideration by all health stakeholders if better health care is to be offered to all expectant mothers. Both locally and internationally, antenatal care aims to monitor pregnant women’s general health and foetal development. However, very little attention is given to foot health. The authors highlight the importance of providing all expectant mothers with footcare education and podiatry services in the Antenatal Clinic.