HEALTH SCIENCES Economic Growth, Socio-Cultural, Pregnancy can be a trying time for Technological Environmental (PESTLE) many mothers-to-be regardless of framework, and the Build, Overcome, whether they are pregnant for the Explore and Minimise (BOEM) first time or have already given birth framework. These frameworks were to other children. Although all women first used in discussions with academic want to maintain their health and and professionals with a background eventually give birth to healthy babies, and interest in maternal health. Dr in busy lives with multiple demands it Okafor and Professor Goon then can be only too easy to overlook the proceeded to use the frameworks as need for conscious attention to be a basis for research with stakeholders paid to keeping active and exercising. that included antenatal health clinic There is no doubt, however, that the managers, antenatal midwives, and project undertaken by Dr Okafor and pregnant women themselves. Professor Goon will go a long way in As a result of this study, the two promoting the benefits of physical researchers were able to identify a activity and exercise amongst pregnant clinics and expressed a willingness women thanks to the evidence-based to engage in education and training number of strategies that could be approach of their research. programmes that would allow them to used to develop an overall intervention counsel pregnant women. Importantly, promoting the benefits of physical References: the midwives recommended the use of activity and exercise for pregnant Okafor UB, Goon DT. Physical an app, called ‘Mom-Connect’, designed women. Strategies included the: activity advice and counselling by the National Department of Health • Use of apps such as Mom-Connect to by healthcare providers: A in order to provide information about provide information on the benefits scoping review. Healthcare, 2021, maternal and child health. Currently of physical activity and exercise to 9:609. https://doi.org/10.3390/ the Mom-Connect app does not carry pregnant women; healthcare9050609 any content related to physical activity and exercise. • Establishment of partnerships with Okafor UB, Goon DT. Uncovering the various cell phone and network barriers to prenatal physical activity Engagement with the midwives as companies operating in South Africa and exercise among South African research participants allowed Dr Okafor to assist in sharing information on pregnant women: A cross-sectional, and Professor Goon to identify the the benefits of physical activity and mixed-methods analysis. Frontiers need for research to develop content exercise; in Public Health, 2022. on physical activity and exercise for the app. They were also able to note • Integration of prenatal physical Okafor UB, Goon DT. Providing the need for healthcare providers to activity and exercise training into physical activity advice during prioritise advice on physical exercise medical and health curricula to pregnancy: A qualitative study of and activity in antenatal sessions and equip healthcare providers with the nurses’ perspectives. Nigeria Journal for more information in the form of knowledge and skills necessary to of Clinical Practice, 2021, 24:718-28. pamphlets, posters and DVDs to be prescribe prenatal physical activity DOI:10.4103/njcp.njcp_486_20. developed. and provide counselling on it; Okafor UB, Goon DT. Development Dr Okafor and Professor Goon then • Development of campaigns to and validation of prenatal physical moved on to developing a strategy to address the lack of awareness, activity intervention strategy for misrepresentations, and other promote physical activity and exercise women in Buffalo City Municipality, amongst pregnant women. In order concerns about the safety and South Africa. Healthcare, 2021, to do this, the two researchers drew benefits of prenatal physical activity; 9(11):1445. https://doi.org/10.3390/ on three frameworks: the Strength, • Incorporation of antenatal physical healthcare9111445. Weakness, Opportunity and Threat activity and exercise classes into (SWOT) framework, the Political, routine antenatal clinics. Research Report 2021/2022 | 38