Abstract
Background'Sitting month' is the Chinese tradition for postpartum customs. Available studies indicate that some of the traditional postpartum practices are potentially harmful for women's health. However, no intervention study aiming at postpartum practices has been performed. In this paper we evaluated the effect of a health and nutrition education intervention, which focused on improving postpartum dietary quality and optimal health behaviors.MethodsThe study design was a randomized controlled trial conducted in both urban and rural area of Hubei between August 2003 and June 2004. A total of 302 women who attended the antenatal clinic during the third trimester with an uncomplicated pregnancy were recruited. Women randomized to the education intervention group in both urban and rural area received two two-hour prenatal education sessions and four postpartum counseling visits. Control group women received usual health care during pregnancy and postpartum period. Women were followed up until 42 days postpartum. Outcome measures were nutrition and health knowledge, dietary behavior, health behavior and health problems during the postpartum period.ResultsWomen in the intervention groups exhibited significantly greater improvement in overall dietary behaviors such as consumption of fruits, vegetables, soybean and soybean products as well as nutrition and health knowledge than those in the control groups. Significantly more women in the intervention groups give up the traditional behavior taboos. The incidence of constipation, leg cramp or joint pain and prolonged lochia rubra was significantly lower in the intervention groups as compared with the control groups.ConclusionThe study shows that health and nutrition education intervention enable the women take away some of the unhealthy traditional postpartum practices and decrease the prevalence of postpartum health problems. The intervention has potential for adaptation and development to large-scale implementation.Trial registration numberklACTRN12607000549426
Highlights
Much educational intervention has focused on pregnancy related nutrition and health problems [1,2,3]. Such education programs are often not maintained during the postpartum period
The final analysis was completed with 302 women, with 154 in the intervention and 148 in the control groups
Our results show that the health and nutrition education intervention was associated with positive changes of post
Summary
Much educational intervention has focused on pregnancy related nutrition and health problems [1,2,3]. Such education programs are often not maintained during the postpartum period. Postpartum period received less attention as compared with pregnancy and childbirth [4]. The postpartum period is a very special phase in the life of a woman. Her body needs to heal and recover from pregnancy and childbirth. A good postpartum care and well balanced diet during the puerperal period is very important for the health of a woman
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