PURPOSE: Maternal-fetal attachment in a pregnant woman is important for her health and for her child's emotional stability. This study was done to identify the contribution of maternal fatigue, social support, and Taegyo to maternal-fetal attachment based on a survey of pregnant women. METHODS: The study was a descriptive correlation study. Participants were 211 from two women's health clinic centers. Data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Mean scores for maternal-fetal attachment, Taegyo, maternal fatigue, and social support were 93.74 (range 25-125), 64.76 (17-85), 24.12 (10-40), and 54.43 (22-132), respectively. There were significant differences in maternal-fetal attachment according to parity, breast feeding experience, and putting prenatal education into practice. Multiple regression analysis showed that the key determinants of maternal-fetal attachment, were Taegyo (beta=.67), maternal fatigue (beta=.21), and social support (beta=.13), and these explained 55% of the total variance of attachment. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a need to encourage Taegyo in prenatal management program and provide methods for fatigue resolution and promotion of social support.
Breast Feeding ; Fatigue* ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal-Fetal Relations ; Parity ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Prenatal Education ; Statistics as Topic ; Women's Health

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among marital satisfaction, spousal support and practice of Taekyo among pregnant women. METHODS: This study was conducted by the use of questionnaire surveys with two hundred and eighty-three pregnant women at several hospitals located in Gyeonggi province and Daejeon city from October 2008 to April 2009. Contents of questionnaire included marital satisfaction, spousal support and practice of Taekyo. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and stepwise multiple regression were conducted for data analysis using SPSS/WIN 17.0 program. RESULTS: Degree of marital satisfaction, spousal support, and practice of Taekyo showed the high ranking among pregnant women. There was a significant difference in order of fetus, need for Taekyo, and time in Taekyo. There was a positive relationship between marital satisfaction, spousal support, and practice of Taekyo. The significant factors influencing the practice of Taekyo was connected with marital satisfaction, order of fetus and time in Taekyo. The total explanatory range was 29.3%. CONCLUSION: There is a need for multidimensional strategy in improving marital satisfaction. This study can be used as a foundation for maternal nursing education program and can be developed for practice of Taekyo.
Education, Nursing ; Female ; Fetus ; Humans ; Marriage ; Pregnant Women ; Prenatal Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVETo comprehensively understand the situation of antenatal care in the last thirty years and to identify the existing problems and challenges.

METHODSPPS method was used to select those women under study and face to face interview was carried out at the house.

RESULTSThe quality and coverage rate of antenatal care as well as the rate of hospital delivery had been continuously increasing over time and the coverage rate of antenatal checkup had increased from 38.7% in 1970s to 95.9%, while the institutional delivery rose from 20.1% to 87.4% in the last three years. However, problems and challenges were found refering to the of delay first antenatal care, inadequate timing and with incomplete contents. Only 71.7% of the pregnant women had received first checkup during the first three months. 64.1% of the women received 5 times or more of the checkups while only 29.1% of the women had received all the 7 basic checkup items. Rate of hospital delivery was unsatisfactory that most (79.5%) of the women had the delivery not in the hospitals when under the assistance of midwife/village doctors. Indicators showed that the worst was in the western regions.

CONCLUSIONGreat progress had been made in the field of antenatal care in last thirty yeats in China. The coverage rate of antenatal checkup and institutional delivery had been improved. But the quality of antenatal care should be further improved, especially in the western regions.

China ; Female ; Humans ; Maternal Health Services ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Quality of Health Care ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo assess the extent and relative changes of the equities in prenatal care utilization among women with different educational attainment in some areas of China.

METHODSData were collected in 13 counties/cities covered by Perinatal Health Care Surveillance System established by Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, Peking University. The study population consisted of 103 704 women who delivered single live births in 1994 and 2000. Chi-square and multiple logistic regression were employed to compare the systematic management rates and relative risks. Concentration index was used to assess the relative changes of equities in prenatal care utilization. SPSS 11.5 and Microsoft Excel 2003 were used for analysis.

RESULTSThe total systematic management rate was 22.1% in 1994 and 57.4% in 2000. The concentration index was -0.046 in 1994 and 0.066 in 2000. In northern areas, the concentration index increased from 0.015 in 1994 to 0.295 in 2000, while it increased from -0.015 in 1994 to 0.062 in 2000 in southern areas. In rural areas, the concentration index increased from 0.002 in 1994 to 0.026 in 2000, while it decreased from 0.042 in 1994 to 0.019 in 2000 in urban areas.

CONCLUSIONInequities in prenatal care utilization in 2000 become more obvious than in 1994, especially in northern areas. More attention should be paid to solve the inequities.

China ; Culture ; Female ; Health Care Rationing ; Healthcare Disparities ; Humans ; Prenatal Care ; statistics & numerical data ; utilization ; Rural Population

The aim of this study was to investigate the whole picture regarding pregnancy, prenatal care, obstetrical complications, and delivery among disabled pregnant women in Korea. Using the data of National Health Insurance Corporation, we extracted the data of women who terminated pregnancy including delivery and abortion from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Pearson's chi-square test and Student-t test were conducted to examine the difference between disabled women and non-disabled women. Also, to define the factors affecting inadequate prenatal care, logistic regression was performed. The total number of pregnancy were 463,847; disabled women was 2,968 (0.6%) and 460,879 (99.4%) were by non-disabled women. Abortion rates (27.6%), Cesarean section rate (54.5%), and the rate of receiving inadequate prenatal care (17.0%), and the rate of being experienced at least one obstetrical complication (11.3%) among disabled women were higher than those among non-disabled women (P < 0.001). Beneficiaries of Medical Aid (OR, 2.21) (P < 0.001) and severe disabled women (OR, 1.46) (P = 0.002) were more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care. In conclusion, disabled women are more vulnerable in pregnancy, prenatal care and delivery. Therefore, the government and society should pay more attention to disabled pregnant women to ensure they have a safe pregnancy period up until the delivery.
Abortion, Induced/*statistics & numerical data ; Adult ; Cesarean Section/*statistics & numerical data ; Delivery, Obstetric/*statistics & numerical data ; Disabled Persons/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Mothers/statistics & numerical data ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Prenatal Care/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

The aim of this study was to investigate the whole picture regarding pregnancy, prenatal care, obstetrical complications, and delivery among disabled pregnant women in Korea. Using the data of National Health Insurance Corporation, we extracted the data of women who terminated pregnancy including delivery and abortion from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Pearson's chi-square test and Student-t test were conducted to examine the difference between disabled women and non-disabled women. Also, to define the factors affecting inadequate prenatal care, logistic regression was performed. The total number of pregnancy were 463,847; disabled women was 2,968 (0.6%) and 460,879 (99.4%) were by non-disabled women. Abortion rates (27.6%), Cesarean section rate (54.5%), and the rate of receiving inadequate prenatal care (17.0%), and the rate of being experienced at least one obstetrical complication (11.3%) among disabled women were higher than those among non-disabled women (P < 0.001). Beneficiaries of Medical Aid (OR, 2.21) (P < 0.001) and severe disabled women (OR, 1.46) (P = 0.002) were more likely to receive inadequate prenatal care. In conclusion, disabled women are more vulnerable in pregnancy, prenatal care and delivery. Therefore, the government and society should pay more attention to disabled pregnant women to ensure they have a safe pregnancy period up until the delivery.
Abortion, Induced/*statistics & numerical data ; Adult ; Cesarean Section/*statistics & numerical data ; Delivery, Obstetric/*statistics & numerical data ; Disabled Persons/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Mothers/statistics & numerical data ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Complications ; Prenatal Care/*statistics & numerical data ; Republic of Korea ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore preserved belief system supporting Korean immigrant women's Taekyo practices and influencing factors while they observe the tradition within US sociocultural context. METHODS: Leininger's exploratory focused ethnographic approach was used. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with purposive sample of sixteen Korean immigrant women who gave birth in the US within last 6 months. Researcher's observation and reflective field notes were also integrated into the interview data. Leininger and McFarland's four phases of ethnographic analysis guided data analysis process. RESULTS: The perceived belief system supporting Taekyo practices included Taekyo as an enculturated Korean tradition, connecting parents with fetus, and positive impacts on fetal development. And Korean immigrant women's Taekyo practices were influenced by resources of information, woman's orientation toward Taekyo, pressure from local Korean community, and child order. CONCLUSION: The findings from this research would serve as an important knowledge base to expand US health care providers' understanding of Korean traditional Taekyo practices observed by Korean immigrant women's as important prenatal self-care practices. The findings could also aid in providing more patient-centered and culturally-tailored prenatal care plan to Korean immigrant by including Korean traditional belief system supporting Taekyo practices.
Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Emigrants and Immigrants* ; Female ; Fetal Development ; Fetus ; Humans ; Knowledge Bases ; Parents ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Care ; Self Care* ; Statistics as Topic ; United States*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of pregnant women's experiences with drinking alcohol during first trimester of pregnancy METHODS: The data were collected through in-depth interviews of 7 pregnant women who drank alcohol in the first trimester. Giorgi's phenomenological method was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Findings included 6 main themes and 14 themes. The main themes concerning pregnancy and drinking were: ‘Open attitude in drinking, History of drinking in family or spouse, Seeking information in how drinking affects pregnancy, Regret not doing planned pregnancy and not quitting drinking before pregnancy, Willing to stop drinking until the child birth, Awareness about importance of preconception care. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of pregnant women's experiences of drinking alcohol during the first trimester of pregnancy. These results can be used in the development of strategies to prevent drinking alcohol during first trimester and to support preconception care and prenatal care.
Binge Drinking ; Child ; Drinking* ; Family Planning Services ; Female ; Humans ; Methods ; Parturition ; Preconception Care ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, First* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women* ; Prenatal Care ; Spouses ; Statistics as Topic

To evaluate the status and influential factors for prenatal care and postpartum visit among pregnant women in Hunan Province from 2008 to 2013 based on the data from the First Health Service Survey in Hunan Province.
 Methods: Based on the data of prenatal care and postpartum visit among pregnant women from the First Health Service Survey of Hunan Province in 2013, proportion of pregnant women, who didn't meet the criteria for prenatal care and postpartum visit, were calculated (≥5 times for prenatal care and ≥2 times for postpartum visit, according to the National Basic Public Health Service program, 2009 Edition). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify the influencial factors.
 Results: A total of 1 035 eligible women were included in data analysis. The proportion of pregnant women who did not meet the criteria were 40.12% (95% CI 24.91%-55.33%) for prenatal care and 64.88% (95% CI 39.70%-90.06%) for postpartum visit. After adjusting other confounding factors, pregnant women with middle- and high-income had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with low-income, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.41 and 0.39, respectively. Multiparae had higher proportion of not meeting the criteria than primiparas, with adjusted odds ratio of 1.54, and pregnant women with age 25-34 years and 35-64 years had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with age 15-24 years. In term of postpartum visit, pregnant women with middle- to high-income had lower proportions of not meeting the criteria than those with low-income, with adjusted odds ratios of 0.50, 0.46 and 0.54, respectively; multiparae had higher proportion of not meeting the criteria than primiparas, with the adjusted odds ratio of 2.30.
 Conclusion: Proportions of pregnant women of not meeting the criteria are high in Hunan Province. Local government should strengthen the management to decrease the proportions of pregnant women who do not meet the standard in prenatal care and postpartum visit, especially for those mulparae with low family income and young age.
Adult ; Age Factors ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Health Services Accessibility ; statistics & numerical data ; Humans ; Income ; statistics & numerical data ; Logistic Models ; National Health Programs ; statistics & numerical data ; Odds Ratio ; Parity ; Postnatal Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Care ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo study the status of spontaneous abortion among reproductive Tibetan women aged 15 - 49 years.

METHODSA cross-sectional survey was conducted on reproductive history of Tibetan women and the sample was chosen under the stratified multistage cluster random sampling technique.

RESULTSA total number of 3741 women were studied with a total number of 10,245 pregnancies. There were 386 spontaneous abortions reported with an incidence rate of 3.9%. Women living in the urban area had a higher rate than living in the rural areas. Women living in area where altitudes were above 4500 m, had a 2-time risk of having spontaneous abortion than those living in areas below 3500 m. The risk of having spontaneous abortion increased among women aged > or = 35 and those with more than 3 pregnancies.

CONCLUSIONSHigh altitude could contribute to the increase of spontaneous abortions incidence, suggesting that improvement of maternal care and nutrition and reduction of the frequency of pregnancy had important roles to play in reducing the incidence of spontaneous abortion among Tibetan women. Despite the fact that retrospective study on reproductive history could underestimate the incidence of spontaneous abortion, the incidence rate among Tibetan women might not be much higher than women living in the lowland areas.

Abortion, Spontaneous ; epidemiology ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Altitude ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Maternal Age ; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena ; Middle Aged ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Care ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Tibet ; epidemiology ; Urban Population ; statistics & numerical data ; Young Adult