Physiologic Skin Changes in Pregnancy among Patients of the Postpartum Ward in Shabih-Khani Hospital, Kashan in 2009

Abstract

Pregnancy affects the entire organs of the pregnant woman including the skin. These changes are sometimes important from either the medical or cosmetic point of view. The objective of this study is to evaluate the physiologic skin changes during pregnancy among patients of the postpartum ward in Shabih-Khani Hospital, Kashan. This is a cross sectional descriptive study of 180 patients in the postpartum ward. Simple random sampling was used. The exclusion criteria were being a foreigner, multiparity and gestational age below 20 weeks. A check-list containing 13 demographic questions and 21 questions concerning the skin changes was the tool. Trained interviewers visited the patients before discharge and completed the questionnaires; the resulting data were coded and fed into the SPSS 16 software package; subsequently, tables of frequency were obtained. The resulting data were fed into the SPSS 16 software package; subsequently, frequency (present) was reported. Most of the patients were in the age range of 20-29 years (63.9) at a gestational age of 36 weeks or higher. The observation included facial pigmentation 43.9 as well as spider angioma 11.7, palpebral edema 30, painful gingivitis 9.5, body pigmentation 97.2), striae 82.3), hyperhidrosis 80) and hirsutism 17.2). Acne was aggravated 26.7 and it was improved in 1.7. An increase in sebum and cutaneous fat was observed in 25. Considering the frequency of cutaneous changes during pregnancy, it is recommended to educate pregnant women about the necessary health care measures. © Medwell Journals, 2011.