Mothers’ Health and Work-Related Factors at 11 Weeks Postpartum

Pat McGovern; Bryan Dowd; Dwenda Gjerdingen; Rada Dagher; Laurie Ukestad; David McCaffrey; Ulf Lundberg

doi:10.1370/afm.751

Abstract

PURPOSE Many new mothers return to work soon after childbirth. This study examines personal and work-related factors associated with the postpartum health of employed women 11 weeks after childbirth.

METHODS Using a prospective cohort design, we recruited 817 Minnesota mothers into the study while they were hospitalized for childbirth in 2001. Telephone interviews were conducted at 5 and 11 weeks postpartum. Eligible women were 18 years or older, employed, and spoke English and gave birth to a singleton infant. Multivariate models using instrumental variables (2-stage least squares) were used to estimate personal and employment characteristics associated with women’s physical and mental health and postpartum symptoms.

RESULTS At 11 weeks postpartum, 661 participants (81% of enrollees) completed a full interview, and 50% of participants had returned to work. On average, women reported 4.1 (SD 3.2) childbirth-related symptoms, most frequently fatigue (43%). Factors significantly associated with better health outcomes included better preconception health, the absence of prenatal mood problems, more control over work and home activities, more social support at work and home, and less job stress.

CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest postpartum women need to be evaluated regarding their fatigue levels and mental and physical symptoms. Women whose fatigue or postpartum symptoms limit daily role function may find it helpful to have health care clinicians counsel them on strategies to decrease job stress, increase social support at work and home, and certify their use of intermittent family and medical leave to help them manage their symptoms.

Footnotes

Conflicts of interest: none reported
Funding support: This publication was supported by grant 5 R18 OH003605-05 from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Disclaimer: The contents of this report are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of NIOSH.
Variations of this work were reported as follows: “After Birth: Women, Work and Health,” P. McGovern, with D. Gjerdingen, B. Dowd, R. Dagher, L. Ukestad, D. McCaffrey, Division of Epidemiology Seminar, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, October 27, 2006; “Twelve Weeks After Birth: Women, Work & Health,” P. McGovern with B. Dowd, D. Gjerdingen, R. Dagher, L. Ukestad, D. McCaffrey, Ulf Lundberg, AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting, Seattle, Washington, June 25, 2006; “After Birth: Policies that Promote Healthy Women and Workplaces,” P. McGovern with B. Dowd, D. Gjerdingen, S. Kenney, L. Ukestad, D. McCaffrey, Ulf Lundberg, Work, Stress & Health, cosponsored by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) & the American Public Health Association (APA), Miami, Florida, March 2, 2006; “Work Organization & Postpartum Health in Employed Mothers after Childbirth,” oral and poster presentation by P. McGovern with D. Gjerdingen, B. Dowd, R. Dagher, L. Ukestad, D. McCaffrey, U. Lundberg, National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Symposium 2006, Washington DC, April 19, 2006; “Work Organization & Postpartum Health In Employed Mothers After Childbirth,” poster presentation by P. McGovern with D. Gjerdingen, B. Dowd, R. Dagher, L. Ukestad, D. McCaffrey, U. Lundberg, The Midwest Center for Occupational Safety & Health Advisory Board Meeting, NORA Poster Exhibit, Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 13, 2006.