The Effect of Pregnancy Exercise on Anxiety Levels among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women at Kasih Ibu Maternity Clinic, Curup City, Rejang Lebong in 2026

Abstract

According to global data from the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 10% of pregnant women and 13% of postpartum women worldwide experience mental health disorders, particularly depression. Based on data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia in 2023, approximately 28.7% of pregnant women in Indonesia are estimated to experience anxiety symptoms before childbirth. The 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) reported that approximately 28.7% of pregnant women experienced mild to severe anxiety and stress symptoms during pregnancy. Anxiety among third-trimester pregnant women commonly occurs due to concerns regarding the labor process, fetal condition, and maternal safety. One non-pharmacological intervention that can be used to reduce anxiety is pregnancy exercise. This study aims to determine the effect of pregnancy exercise on anxiety levels among third-trimester pregnant women at Kasih Ibu Maternity Clinic, Curup City, Rejang Lebong in 2026. This study used a quasi-experimental design with an intervention group and a control group. The research was conducted from 1 May to 30 May 2026. The sample consisted of 30 respondents, including 15 pregnant women in the intervention group and 15 pregnant women in the control group, selected using purposive sampling. Anxiety levels were measured using an anxiety questionnaire. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analyses with an Independent Sample T-Test at a 95% confidence level (α = 0.05). The results of the univariate analysis showed that before receiving pregnancy exercise, most respondents in the intervention group experienced severe anxiety, with 9 respondents (60%). After receiving pregnancy exercise, most respondents experienced moderate anxiety, with 9 respondents (60%), and mild anxiety, with 6 respondents (40%). Meanwhile, in the control group, before the follow-up measurement, most respondents experienced severe anxiety, with 8 respondents (53.3%), and after the measurement, moderate and severe anxiety were each experienced by 7 respondents (46.7%). The bivariate analysis showed that the mean anxiety level in the intervention group was 30.27 ± 5.898, while in the control group it was 39.07 ± 8.319. The statistical test results showed a p-value of 0.002 (p < 0.05), indicating that pregnancy exercise had a significant effect on anxiety levels among third-trimester pregnant women at Kasih Ibu Maternity Clinic, Curup City, Rejang Lebong in 2026. The researchers recommend that Kasih Ibu Maternity Clinic optimize the participation of third-trimester pregnant women in pregnancy exercise programs as a non-pharmacological intervention to help reduce anxiety during preparation for childbirth.