Postpartum Health of Employed Mothers 5 Weeks After Childbirth
Ann Fam Med McGovern et al.
4: 159
The Article in Brief
Background Most employed new mothers return to work within 1 to 3 months of giving birth. This study reports symptoms experienced by new mothers 5 weeks after birth and examines factors that influence their health.
What This Study Found Five weeks after giving birth, women still experience symptoms related to childbirth, particularly women whose infants were delivered by cesarean section or who breastfeed. Symptoms include fatigue, never or rarely feeling refreshed after waking in the morning, breast discomfort, and a decreased desire for sex. Women whose infants were delivered by cesarean section had significantly worse physical health than women who gave birth vaginally.
Implications
- With many new mothers returning to work soon after childbirth, there is a need to reexamine and broaden the definition of postpartum health, particularly for employed women.
- In examining new mothers, doctors should assess fatigue, as well as other physical and mental symptoms, including those related to breastfeeding.
- There is a need for ongoing support for new mothers and for ongoing rest and recovery beyond the traditional period that is common in the United States.
