Postpartum health of working mothers : A prospective study

Majorie Ensayan, Janting and Cheah, Whye Lian and Helmy, Hazmi (2023) Postpartum health of working mothers : A prospective study. Malaysian Family Physician, 18 (48). pp. 1-7. ISSN 1985-2274

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Abstract

Introduction: Most working women experience poor physical and mental health during their postpartum period. �is prospective study aimed to describe the physical and mental health issues faced by working mothers during their postpartum period. Methods: Respondents were recruited using the proportional sampling method among mothers who attended the Maternal and Child Health Clinic in the Kuching division in Sarawak, Malaysia. Faceto-face interview was conducted using a questionnaire that consisted of items on socio-demographic data as well as perinatal, prenatal and postpartum factors, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a checklist of 28 speci�c postpartum symptoms were used during the �rst 6 weeks and after 12 weeks of childbirth. Results: A total of 281 respondents participated in this study. Fatigue (42.7%), back or neck pain (36.3%), breast discomfort (16.4%), dizziness (13.5%) and nipple irritation (11.0%) were among the most common symptoms experienced by the mothers during the �rst 6 weeks after childbirth. �ere was a signi�cant decrease in the physical symptom scores of the respondents from the �rst 6 weeks to after 12 weeks of childbirth (1.73±1.96 vs 0.16±0.42; P<0.0005). A signi�cant decrease was also found in the depression scores (6.26±4.26 vs 1.35±1.85, P<0.0005). Conclusion: �e prevalence of postnatal depression was higher during the �rst 6 weeks of postpartum than after 12 weeks of postpartum. Screening and treatment of poor postpartum mental health among working women are essential owing to the impacts on occupational outcomes.

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