Determinants of Maternal Health-Related Quality of Life after Childbirth: The Generation R Study

Guannan Bai, Ida J Korfage, Eva Mautner and Hein Raat
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Guannan Bai: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam, 3015 CN, South Holland, The Netherlands
Ida J Korfage: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam, 3015 CN, South Holland, The Netherlands
Eva Mautner: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerpl. 2, Graz 8036, Austria
Hein Raat: Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC-University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Wytemaweg 80, Rotterdam, 3015 CN, South Holland, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-12

Abstract: Having good health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is essential, particularly for women after childbirth. However, little is known about its determinants. We aimed to identify the determinants of HRQoL after childbirth in a large community sample in the Netherlands. We have included 4312 women in the present study. HRQOL was assessed by a 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) at around two months after childbirth; Physical and Mental Component Summary scores were calculated. Information on 27 potential determinants of HRQoL was collected through questionnaires and medical records. Multivariate linear regression models were applied to assess significant determinants of physical and mental HRQoL. Our study showed that older maternal age, shorter time since childbirth, elective/emergency cesarean delivery, loss of energy, maternal psychopathology, and the hospital admission of the infant were significantly associated with worse physical HRQoL ( p < 0.05); older maternal age, non-western background, low household income, loss of energy, and maternal psychopathology were significantly associated with worse mental HRQoL ( p < 0.05). We identified multiple determinants of suboptimal physical and mental HRQoL after childbirth. In particular, maternal psychopathology after childbirth was profoundly associated with mental HRQoL. These women may need support. We therefore call for awareness among health care professionals.

Keywords: childbirth; community sample; determinants; quality of life; women (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:18:p:3231-:d:263850

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