Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is focused into the physiological processes of women and the need for exercise patterns and educational strategies for promoting selfcare and health though life. Women experience specific hormonal changes during several stages of life, such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause, that affects their functional status in a different way to men. The gradual reduction of muscle function, bone mineral density loss, the deterioration of sensory systems, or changes in body composition are accelerated. This contributes to the worsening of functional independence and disability and an increased risk of hospitalization and mortality with advancing age. Moreover, this functional change impacts in not only the biological but also in the psychological and social domains, being associated in many cases with premenstrual syndrome, depression or anxiety, a lack of self esteem related to their body image, and other psychological factors that can lead to variations in their behavior, loneliness, and isolation. Government and healthcare system are implementing a range of strategies to promote health in women, such as the practice of regular exercise, that needs to be intensified with educational plans in order to consolidate the functional benefits.

According to these premises, this Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary overview of the current strategies used to enhance women’s health. Thus, we are soliciting manuscripts addressing topics related to the impact of exercise in women, as well as the development of educational programs to promote their selfcare and health. Original articles and reviews based on the prevention or treatment of the physiological, psychological, or social impairments related to menstrual cycle, pregnancy, or menopause through exercise or other physical techniques will be considered, either in healthy or in chronic disease samples. Paper dealing with the promotion of educational exercise-based initiatives to promote women’s selfcare and health will be also welcome.

Dr. María Carrasco-Poyatos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• women’s health
• exercise
• educational programs
• selfcare
• physiological
• psychological
• social
• functional
• menstrual cycle
• pregnancy
• menopause
• chronic disease

Title: The key role of self-reported physical fitness in emotional well-being and emotional distress during pregnancy. The GESTAFIT project.
Authors: Nuria Marín-Jiméneza,b,c,d, Marta Flor-Alemanyb,e,f, Laura Baena-Garcíab,g,h, Pablo Corresi, Cristina Molina-Hidalgob,j, Virginia A. Apariciob,e,f,k
Affiliation: aDepartment of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences. University of Granada, Granada, Spain. bSport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Granada, Spain. cGALENO Research Group, Department of Physical Education. Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Puerto Real, Spain. dBiomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INiBICA) Research Unit, Cádiz, Spain. eDepartment of Physiology, University of Granada, Spain. fInstitute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Granada, Spain. gDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Ceuta, Spain hInstituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs, University of Granada, Spain iDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education and Sport, Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Section, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. jDepartment of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, USA. kGlzartea, Kirola eta Ariketa Fisikoa Ikerkuntza Taldea (GIKAFIT), Society, Sports and Exercise Research Group, Department of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
Abstract: Background: Self-reported physical fitness (PF) is a useful and feasible tool to evaluate PF during pregnancy, especially in clinical settings. This study aimed to explore the unexamined association, to date, of self-reported PF with emotional well-being and emotional distress along gestation. Methods: One hundred fifty-eight pregnant women (32.9±4.7 years old) participated in this study. Self-reported PF was assessed with the International Fitness Scale (i.e., overall self-reported PF, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength and speed-agility); positive and negative affect measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), at 16th and 34th gestational weeks (g.w.). Results: At the 16th g.w. greater overall self-reported PF, CRF, muscular strength and speed-agility were associated with greater Positive Affect scores (β ranging from 0.206 to 0.316; all, p<0.05), and lower Negative Affect (β ranging from -0.071 to -0.224; all, p< 0.05). At the 34th g.w. greater self-reported PF was associated with greater Positive Affect (β= 0.231, p= 0.024); greater self-reported CRF was associated with greater Positive Affect (β ranging from 0.248 to 0.286; both, p< 0.05); greater overall self-reported PF, CRF, muscular strength and speed-agility were associated with lower Negative Affect (β ranging from -0.192 to -0.243; all, p< 0.05); greater overall self-reported PF, speed-agility and flexibility were associated with lower Negative Affect (β ranging from 0.129 to -0.313; all, p< 0.05). Conclusions: Greater self-reported PF plays a role in enhancing greater emotional well-being and lower emotional distress throughout gestation. Self-reported PF may be especially helpful in coping with emotional distress during late pregnancy.