Giving Birth and Returning to work: Maternal health at eleven weeks postpartum

Research Objective: To identify the personal characteristics and employment factors that affect women's postpartum health status.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study design was utilized to recruit women while hospitalized for childbirth. Subjects were interviewed at enrollment, 5 and 11 weeks postpartum. Two-Stage Least Squares was used to address the problem of endogenous explanatory variables. Health outcomes were measured with the SF-12 for general health and a list of 28 childbirth-related symptoms.

Population Studied: The population included Minnesota women ages 18 and older and admitted to the hospital for childbirth in 2001. Sample selection criteria included: having a singleton birth, speaking English, and being employed.

Principal Findings: At 11 weeks postpartum, 661 women (81% of enrollees) were interviewed. On average, women were 30 years old; 86% were Caucasian; 88% were married; and 50% had returned to work. Women reported an average of four postpartum symptoms (SD: 3.1), most frequently fatigue (43%), headaches (42%), back/neck pain (38%) and sexual symptoms (37%).

Multivariate analyses revealed better preconception health was associated with better postpartum health across all health outcomes. Additionally, being married and an absence of infant colic were associated with fewer postpartum symptoms. The absence of prenatal moods, more perceived control, more social support and less job stress were associated with better mental health. Greater coworker support was associated with better physical health.

Conclusions: These mothers experienced childbirth-related symptoms 11 weeks postpartum, fatigue being the most frequent. Women experiencing limitations in daily activities may find intermittent family and medical leave helpful.