Abstract
Introduction: The postpartum period can have a significant physical, emotional, and social impact on the quality of a woman’s life. Most postpartum research has focused on physical complications and only a few studies have specifically investigated quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore predictors affecting the quality of life of postpartum Brazilian mothers. Study Design and Methods: A cross-sectional Quality of Life survey was performed in 210 Brazilian mothers during the early postpartum period. Data were collected using an interview technique and two instruments: 1) a maternal questionnaire and the 2) Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life tool/Brazilian version. The association between maternal characteristics and quality of life in the post-partum period was investigated with bivariate and multivariable analyses. Results: Mothers who had the best Quality of Life were white, registered students, 30 - 40 years of age, who were married or living with a partner, and without physical complaints; in addition, they had at least an 8th grade education, more than 4 children, and had attended more than 8 prenatal visits with a nurse. The stepwise model indicated that white race (p < 0.05) and married or living with a partner (p < 0.05) were the best predictors of Quality of Life in postpartum women. Conclusions and Clinical Implications: Marital status and race conditions may predict quality of life in postpartum Brazilian mothers. In addition, improved knowledge concerning the postpartum, maternal experience may help develop health interventions to enhance the quality of life of this population.
Highlights
The postpartum period can have a significant physical, emotional, and social impact on the quality of a woman’s life
Mothers in this sample (n = 210) tended to be young adults (65.3%), married or living with a partner (79.5%), have formal or informal employment (62.8%), a high school education (42.9%), low monthly income (46.7% received less than US $678.00/month with an average monthly income of US $524.90/month) and white (53.8%)
Over half of all mothers (59.0%) attended between 6 and 8 prenatal visits and 54% of these visits were performed by a physician
Summary
The postpartum period can have a significant physical, emotional, and social impact on the quality of a woman’s life. QoL is a multidimensional concept, measuring different aspects of life, including physical well-being as well as psychological and social functioning [8]-[11] It was not until 1994, after 10 years of analysis, that the World Health Organization Quality of Life group (WHOQOL) released its definition of QoL: “An individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a broad concept, affected in a complex way by the person’s physical health, psychological state, level of independence, social relationships, personal beliefs, and their relationship with environmental characteristics” [12]. QoL was included as a concept in health science research, and presently encompasses the physical, social, and emotional dimensions of wellness, and moves beyond the absence of disease
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