OBJECTIVE: There are a number of factors interfering with the performance of balance, however the importance given to each of the sensory systems during pregnancy is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the visual, somatosensorial and vestibular system on the balance in the different stages of pregnancy. METHODS: For the accomplishment of this study they were appraised two groups, being: group of pregnant women (GG), and non pregnant women's group (GC). The corporal balance was measured by the six conditions of the sensorial organization test (TOS), using a force platform AMTI®. The variables related with the maintenance of the corporal stability were the displacement of the center of force in the anterior-posterior (COPap) and medium-lateral directions (COPml). For comparison between groups and between the sensory tests a One-Way Anova was used, and to identify the differences the post hoc HSD Tukey test was used. The significance level adopted for all tests was 5%. RESULTS: Differences in body movements are more obvious from the second trimester of pregnancy, and the sensory manipulation is shown as an aggravating factor on them. CONCLUSION: The process of pregnancy influences the balance in both directions evaluated (COPap and COPml) and body oscillations increase with the difficulty of the task (sensory manipulation) and the progress of pregnancy.
Pregnancy; Balance; Sensory systems
