Abstract
BackgroundThe significance of planned pregnancy is an accepted principle for improving the health of pregnant women; and quality of life, as one of the important indicators of women’s health, is reduced in high-risk pregnancies. The aim of this research was to investigate the changes in the health related quality of life (HRQL) in low risk pregnancies in different groups based on pregnancy context.MethodsThe present study was a prospective study conducted on 250 pregnant women divided into three groups of women with planned pregnancy, unplanned/wanted pregnancy and unwanted pregnancy. Then, using WHOQOL-26 questionnaire, the quality of life of these women was measured in physical, psychological, social and environmental dimensions at the beginning of pregnancy as well as at the end of the first, second and third trimesters.ResultsBased on the results, the mean score of environmental-HRQL in women with unwanted pregnancy was significantly lower than the other two groups. All dimensions on HRQL were influenced by time and group. However, changes in the physical, psychological and social dimensions of HRQL varied within the groups. Physical- HRQL changes were different within the groups. The intergroup effect on environmental dimension of quality of life changes was significant.ConclusionsIt was observed in this study that HRQL in the women with unwanted pregnancy was lower than the women with planned pregnancy and those with unplanned /wanted pregnancy. Moreover, increase in gestational age would lower quality of life, but this decline had a similar pattern in different groups.
Highlights
The significance of planned pregnancy is an accepted principle for improving the health of pregnant women; and quality of life, as one of the important indicators of women’s health, is reduced in high-risk pregnancies
Of the 370 women invited to participate in the study, 300 accepted to take part in it. 29 pregnant women because of abortion and 21 others because of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia, bleeding in the second trimester, and preterm labor pain were excluded from the study
The results showed that health related quality of life (HRQL) had a decreasing from the beginning of pregnancy to the third trimester
Summary
The significance of planned pregnancy is an accepted principle for improving the health of pregnant women; and quality of life, as one of the important indicators of women’s health, is reduced in high-risk pregnancies. Pregnancy is a complex period in women’s lives It is associated with significant physical and psychological changes that play an important role in balancing the functions of different systems in women’s body with regard to the needs of the fetus. High-risk and complicated pregnancies are among the factors affecting the decline of the HRQL in pregnant women [8]. Physical and psychological changes of pregnancy and the complications caused by them occur for most women, their impact on quality of life may be influenced by women’s preparation and planning for pregnancy
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