PURPOSE: This study aimed to provide preliminary data for a nursing intervention plan for puerperal women to reduce postpartum depression by investigating factors that affect depressive disorder during the puerperal period. METHODS: A total of 153 pregnant women were recruited from a university hospital in Gimhae city in Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Mothers' quality of sleep, breast-feeding confidence, discomfort with breastfeeding, depressive feeling during pregnancy, and baby's feeding capability and growth were significant predictors of postpartum depression. These variables explained 36.1% of the variance in postpartum depression in puerperal women. CONCLUSION: The aforementioned results indicate that puerperal women are less likely to experience postpartum depression when their quality of sleep is higher, breast-feeding confidence is higher, discomfort with breast-feeding is lower, when they did not feel depressed during pregnancy, and when baby's feeding capability and growth is better. Therefore, to decrease puerperal women's depression, a nursing intervention program and a research study to verify the effects of the program are necessary to increase mother's sleep quality and breast-feeding adaptation and prevent depression during pregnancy.
Breast Feeding ; Depression ; Depression, Postpartum ; Depressive Disorder ; Female ; Gyeongsangnam-do ; Humans ; Korea ; Nursing ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVES: The study was to conduct a comparative assessment of drinking behaviors and overall health among pregnant and breastfeeding women. METHODS: This study used data collected from the Korean Community Health Survey in 2015. Data obtained from 2,156 pregnant or breastfeeding women were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, the chi-square test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Current drinking and alcohol consumption were higher among pregnant women than among breastfeeding women. Depression was twice as common among breastfeeding women than among pregnant women, and stress was much higher among breastfeeding women as well. Breastfeeding women also had lower subjective dental health and more unmet medical needs than pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: Although pregnant women were in better overall health than breastfeeding women, many of them were unable to stop drinking, which is a risky and adverse health behavior that negatively affects maternal and fetal health. In order to reduce drinking among pregnant and breastfeeding women, it is necessary to develop a tailored, standardized educational program and national guidelines.
Alcohol Drinking ; Breast Feeding ; Depression ; Drinking Behavior ; Drinking ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Pregnant Women

OBJECTIVES: The study was to conduct a comparative assessment of drinking behaviors and overall health among pregnant and breastfeeding women.METHODS: This study used data collected from the Korean Community Health Survey in 2015. Data obtained from 2,156 pregnant or breastfeeding women were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, the chi-square test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient.RESULTS: Current drinking and alcohol consumption were higher among pregnant women than among breastfeeding women. Depression was twice as common among breastfeeding women than among pregnant women, and stress was much higher among breastfeeding women as well. Breastfeeding women also had lower subjective dental health and more unmet medical needs than pregnant women.CONCLUSIONS: Although pregnant women were in better overall health than breastfeeding women, many of them were unable to stop drinking, which is a risky and adverse health behavior that negatively affects maternal and fetal health. In order to reduce drinking among pregnant and breastfeeding women, it is necessary to develop a tailored, standardized educational program and national guidelines.
Alcohol Drinking ; Breast Feeding ; Depression ; Drinking Behavior ; Drinking ; Female ; Health Behavior ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea ; Pregnant Women

PURPOSE: Proper management of nutrition or health care for pregnant women is known to have better perinatal outcomes for maternal and neonatal health. In this study, we investigated the effect of regular medical and nutritional counseling provided to pregnant women for improved-results for mother and neonates. METHODS: Thirty-five pregnant women participated in the study and received information on nutrition management via telephone or e-mail every four weeks until childbirth. The nutrition management program comprised proper diet, low-salt diet, low-sugar diet, breast-feeding preparation, and provision of a healthy menu according to their pregnancy trimesters. We categorized them by their degree of participation into a “low participation group” that formed the control group, and a “high participation group” as the study group. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in maternal age, and body mass index between the two groups at the time of enrollment in the study. Post-natal exclusive breast feeding rate was significantly higher in the high participation group (62%) than in the low participation group (32%) (p<0.05). In the neonatal results, gestational age at birth and neonatal birth weight were significantly higher in the high participation group than in the low participation group (p<0.05). Neonatal complication rate, neonatal admission rate to intensive care unit, rate of low birth weight, Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes, as well as the rate of transient tachypnea were higher in the low participation group, but lacked any statistically significant difference. CONCLUSION: Collaborative nutrition management with obstetricians and nutritionists is helpful in achieving better perinatal outcomes.
Apgar Score ; Birth Weight ; Body Mass Index ; Breast Feeding ; Counseling ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diet ; Diet, Sodium-Restricted ; Electronic Mail ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Gyeonggi-do* ; Humans ; Infant Health ; Infant, Low Birth Weight ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care Units ; Maternal Age ; Mothers ; Nutritionists ; Parturition ; Pregnancy Outcome ; Pregnancy Trimesters ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Tachypnea ; Telephone

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to measure the levels of adherence and to identify factors associated with adherence to option B+ prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) among pregnant and lactating mothers in selected government health facilities of South Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, northeast Ethiopia. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional quantitative study design was employed from March 1, 2016 to April 14, 2016, using a standard structured data collection instrument. A sample of 191 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive pregnant and lactating mothers who were receiving PMTCT follow-up in the selected health facilities participated in the study. The data were entered using EpiData 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with adherence. The p-values <0.05 and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to identify associations between independent predictors and the outcome variable. RESULTS: The level of adherence to option B+ PMTCT drugs was 87.9%. Women who received in-hospital treatment, who lived in rural areas, and faced challenges in initiating lifelong option B+ treatment on the same-day that they were diagnosed with HIV were less likely to adhere to the treatment (adjusted odds ratios [95% CI] of 0.3 [0.11 to 0.82], 0.26 [0.1 to 0.73], and 0.08 [0.02 to 0.37], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Collaborative efforts of zonal health departments with health facility administrators and counselors are recommended for effective and efficient interventions focusing on hospitals, rural areas, and patients who face challenges on the day of their diagnosis.
Breast Feeding ; Counseling ; Data Collection ; Diagnosis ; Ethiopia* ; Female ; Fluconazole ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Facilities* ; Health Facility Administrators ; HIV ; Hospitals, Rural ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Medication Adherence ; Mothers* ; Odds Ratio ; Pregnant Women

breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life as the proven safest feeding practice, recent studies from Papua New Guinea (PNG) showed that the rate of exclusive breastfeeding was well below the world average. There is a paucity of recent studies on breastfeeding in rural PNG, and this study aimed to identify the knowledge of, attitudes towards and practice of breastfeeding by rural mothers. Methods: A mixed method study using face-to-face interviews based on semi-structured questionnaires was conducted among rural mothers (n = 40) in 2014. Purposive homogeneous sampling was used to select participants. We included mothers in the child-bearing age of 18-40 years who had a child under the age of three years, and who could speak Tok Pisin. Content analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for quantitative data were applied. Results: Despite the fact that most mothers regarded breastfeeding to be a better way of infant feeding than bottle feeding, they did not understand the reasons why. With regard to exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life our study showed a striking gap between global recommendation and practice. 78% of mothers (n = 31) in our study did not practise exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of their baby’s life. Given that the majority of mothers had not completed grade 8, during which formal education on infant feeding practices is supposed to take place, most of the mothers had missed school education on infant feeding. Conclusion: Knowledge about the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of life and its practice was very poor. Because promotion of breastfeeding practices in developing countries has been shown to be one of the most cost-effective health interventions, we suggest the introduction of infant feeding teaching in grade 4 in school curricula and the development of community-based educational programs on infant feeding.
Breast feeding, women,

PURPOSE: Demand of specialized maternity ward is increasing as national income level rises. However, the National Health Insurance limits the number of hospital's non-standard room to less than 50% of total hospital beds. Therefore, this research was performed to investigate the utilization rate of non-standard room among the Korean women who recently delivered baby in medical facilities in order to examine the factors affecting their selection. METHODS: One hundred sixty six medical facilities which deliver a minimum of ten cases in 2011 were selected and categorized by type, region, and size. A cross-sectional survey was done in November 2012 by a professional research survey company. Eight hundred and two pregnant women answered the questionnaire through a face-to-face interview. RESULTS: Of the 802 expecting mothers, 690 (86%) occupied non-standard room and 684 (85.2%) preferred non-standard room to the standard room. Satisfaction levels were significantly higher in mothers occupying non-standard room [5.9+/-1.0 vs. 5.4+/-1.2 (0-7 scale), P<0.01] and high-income families used non-standard room more often. Reasons for using non-standard room included adequate convalescence (78%), separate place for breastfeeding (6.1%), and convenience on receiving visitors (5.4%). Preference for non-standard room on next visit was higher in case of delivery compared to other cause of hospitalization (81.8% vs. 44.9%, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Preference and actual use of non-standard room after delivery were significant. In spite of concrete preference, there was certain barrier in use of non-standard room according to the income and types of hospitals. Therefore, changes of policy such as insurance support for room charge may be needed in case of delivery.
Breast Feeding ; Convalescence ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Insurance ; Maternal Health Services ; Mothers* ; National Health Programs ; Patients' Rooms ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnant Women ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Maternal Health

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 aim of this study was to assess health-related behavior of pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers by investigating relevant risk factors. METHODS: Data of 10,396 women (age 19 to 49 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey report from 2007 to 2012 was used to analyze factors associated with health-related behavior. The subjects were divided into pregnant women; breastfeeding mothers; and non-pregnant women. Bottle feeding mothers were excluded. RESULTS: Current smoking rate including self-reported smoker and/or positive cotinine urine test were lower for pregnant or breast-feeding group than non-pregnant group. Heavy-drinking was not different among groups while monthly drinking rate was higher in non-pregnant group. Rate of stress recognition was lower in pregnant and breast-feeding group than non-pregnant group. Rate of experience for depressive symptoms and rate of suicidal ideation were not different among groups. CONCLUSION: Pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers maintain a good pattern of health-related behavior compared to non-pregnant women. However, substantial proportion of pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers continue to drink and smoke. This shows the need for a plan that will modify health-related behavior.
Bottle Feeding ; Breast Feeding ; Cotinine ; Depression ; Drinking ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mothers* ; Nutrition Surveys ; Pregnant Women* ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Suicidal Ideation

OBJECTIVETo investigate the iodine nutritional status of the vulnerable population in Henan in 2011.

METHODSFrom March to December 2011, 44 049 urinary samples of newly married women of childbearing age (363), pregnant women (31 874), lactating women (4893) and children under 2 years (6919) collected from hospitals, maternal and child care hospitals and outpatient department of family planning organizations from 8 cities of Henan province (only including the areas where water iodine was less than 100 µg/L) were tested for urine iodine concentration. The iodine nutritional status of different groups was analyzed.

RESULTSThe median of urinary iodine for newly married women, pregnant women, lactating women and children under 2 years was 204.5, 190.9, 145.5 and 185.4 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 874.16, P < 0.01). The proportion of urinary iodine below 150 µg/L of pregnant women and below 100 µg/L of lactating women and children under 2 years was 33.0% (10 519/31 874), 24.9% (1218/4893) and 12.4% (855/6919), respectively. The proportion of urinary iodine above 300 µg/L of newly married women was 33.6% (122/363). The median of urinary iodine for pregnant women in the first, second and third trimester was 186.7, 193.8 and 182.5 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 55.19, P < 0.01). The median of urinary iodine for the breast-feeding, formula-feeding and mixed-feeding infant under the age of 1 year was 194.8, 85.6 and 176.0 µg/L, respectively (χ(2) = 179.25, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe overall iodine nutrient levels of the vulnerable population in Henan in 2011 were appropriate, but there were still some proportions of pregnant and lactating women with low iodine level. The iodine intake of the formula-feeding infants was not sufficient.

Breast Feeding ; China ; Feeding Methods ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Iodine ; Male ; Nutritional Status ; Population Surveillance ; Pregnancy ; Pregnant Women