Postpartum Physical Symptoms in New Mothers: Their Relationship to Functional Limitations and Emotional Well‐being

Abstract

Background Postpartum physical health problems are common and have been understudied. This study explored the relationship between reported physical symptoms, functional limitations and emotional well-being of postpartum women. Methods The study involved data from interviews conducted at 9-12 months postpartum from 1,323 women who had received prenatal care at 9 community health centers located in Philadelphia, Pa. (February 2000 and November 2002). Emotional well-being was assessed with the CES-D Scale and perceived emotional health. Functional limitations measures were related to child care, daily activities (housework, shopping), and work. A summary measure of postpartum morbidity burden was constructed from a checklist of potential health problems typically associated with the postpartum period, such as backaches, abdominal pain, and dyspareunia. Results More than two-thirds (69%) of the women reported experiencing at least one physical health problem since childbirth. Forty-five percent reported at least one problem of moderate or major (as opposed to simply minor) severity, and 20 percent reported at least one problem of major severity. The presence, severity and cumulative morbidity burden associated with postpartum health problems was consistently correlated with reports of one or more functional limitations, and measures of emotional well-being, including depressive symptomatology. Conclusions Although physical problems typically associated with the postpartum period are often regarded as transient or comparatively minor, they are strongly related to both the functional impairment and poor emotional Health. Careful assessment of the physical, functional, as well as emotional health status of women in the year following childbirth may improve the quality of postpartum care.

The perinatal period: A literature review from the biopsychosocial perspective

“…In a more recent study, Webb and colleagues [50] found that the presence, severity and cumulative morbidity of physical problems were again positively associated with depressive symptomatology. For example, there were statistically significant relationships, indicating a higher probability of depressive symptomatology with conditions such as fatigue, backache, and vaginal pain or dyspareunia.The respective proportions were fatigue, 27.9%, backache, 29.3%, vaginal pain or dyspareunia, 43.6%.…”

Prevalence of dispareunia in women within postpartum one-year period and related factors

“…In our study, while the rates of experiencing dispareunia in postpartum period were found as 20.8% in prenatal period, 22.9% during pregnancy and 35.6% in the first postpartum intercourse, the rate of postpartum dispareunia was detected to be 41.5%. Similarly, in studies disparenia was described between postpartum 3-6 months in 41 and 67% of women (Barrett et al, 2000;Clarkson et al, 2001;Dejudicibus and McCabe, 2002;Acele and Karaçam, 2012;Connolly et al, 2005;Buhling et al, 2006;Webb et al, 2008). In their study, Karacam and Calışır (2012), reported that 57% of women with postpartum dispareunia had also experienced the condition in prenatal period, but dispareunia started in 43% of these women in postpartum period.Signerello et al (2001) emphasized that dispareunia is a continuing health challenge in 22% of women despite decreasing at postpartum six months.…”

Insomnia before and after childbirth: The risk of developing postpartum pain—A longitudinal population-based study

“…The postpartum period is also marked by an increase in physical complaints, although the reasons for this have not been clearly explained [7][8][9]. While the physical and physiologic changes around pregnancy and birth may be plausible causes of poor sleep, another possibility is that chronic insomnia may lead to a new onset of bodily pain.…”