Relationship between Maternal Fatigues during Pregnancy with Postpartum Blues

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Lecturer of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.

2 Lecturer of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

4 Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ovulation Dysfunction Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

5 Ph.D. Student of Reproductive Health, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, Gonabad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Women commonly experience fatigue during pregnancyand postpartum period. The fatigue may be lead to postpartum blues. This study was accomplished to investigate the relationship between maternal fatigue during pregnancy with postpartum blues.
Methods: This correlational study was conducted on 60 pregnant women who referred to health care centers in Mashhad, Iran, 2009. Cases were selected through a multi-stages sampling method. Fatigue was assessed by “Modified Fatigue Symptom Checklist” in 36th and 37th weeks of pregnancy and 5th day after childbirth. Postpartum depression was evaluated by Edinburgh scale and interview at 5th and 14th days after child birth. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 14, Fisher's exact test, t-student and chi-square tests, lambda correlation and logistic regression tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant.
Results: There were significant correlation between fatigue in 37th week of pregnancy with postpartum blues in 5thday (r=0.651, p=0.038) and 14th day (r=1.000, p<0.0001) after childbirth. Also there was a significant correlation between fatigue in 36th week of pregnancy and postpartum blues in 14th day after childbirth (r=0.80, p=0.017). Logistic regression showed that postpartum blues was related to fatigue in 37th week of pregnancy (p=0.015).
Conclusion: Fatigue in the last weeks of pregnancy is correlated with postpartum blues. Therefore it should be considered as a predicting factor of postpartum blues in routine prenatal care.
 

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