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Postpartum health in mothers of term and preterm infants
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Postpartum health in mothers of term and preterm infants

Susan Gennaro and Joan Rosen Bloch
Women & health, v 41(3), pp 99-112
01 Jan 2005
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1300/J013v41n03_06
PMID: 15970578
Featured in Collection :   UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel

Abstract

Adult African Americans - education African Americans - psychology Common Cold - epidemiology Delivery, Obstetric - methods Demography Female Focus Groups Headache - epidemiology Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Infant Infant Care - methods Infant Care - psychology Infant, Newborn Maternal Welfare - ethnology Maternal Welfare - statistics & numerical data New England - epidemiology Pennsylvania - epidemiology Postpartum Period - psychology Pregnancy Premature Birth - ethnology Premature Birth - psychology Surveys and Questionnaires
Mothers have inadequate information about what to expect in the postpartum period in terms of their own health. Understanding common patterns of postpartum health may be particularly important for mothers of preterm low birthweight infants, so that they can plan how to optimize their own health as they care for their vulnerable infants. The purpose of this study was to compare the health of mothers of preterm and term infants prospectively for the first four months following delivery. This longitudinal descriptive study measured health status of 33 mothers of preterm infants and 32 mothers of term infants using health diaries and the Health Review Questionnaire every month for the first four months following delivery. No difference was observed between the two groups of mothers in how ill mothers reported feeling over time. The most common symptoms mothers experienced were headaches and cold symptoms. On average mothers reported between one and four days every month that they were not able to conduct their usual activities. Mothers reported feeling ill more frequently than they sought health care. The average mother at four months postpartum was still reporting she felt ill between 3 and 7 days during the month. This study has implications for families, health care providers, and policy makers.

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8 Record Views
6 citations in Web of Science
6 citations in Scopus

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UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#5 Gender Equality
#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Women's Studies
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