Frequency and Rank Order of Postpartum Symptoms
| Symptoms | 5 Weeks Postpartum (n=716) Frequency (%) | 11 Weeks Postpartum (n=661) Frequency (%) |
|---|---|---|
| General, other | ||
| Fatigue | 457 (63.8) | 287 (43.4) |
| Back or neck pain | 310 (43.3) | 250 (37.8) |
| Dizziness | 104 (14.5) | 74 (11.2) |
| Hot flashes | 85 (11.9) | 39 (5.9) |
| Fever >100° F | 51 (7.1) | 27 (4.1) |
| Neurologic | ||
| Headaches | 355 (49.6) | 275 (41.6) |
| Hand numbness or tingling | 102 (14.2) | 65 (9.8) |
| Gynecologic and breast | ||
| Decreased desire for sex | 375 (52.4) | 244 (37.0) |
| Breast discomfort | 432 (60.3) | 124 (18.8) |
| Nipple irritation or soreness | 358 (50.0) | 93 (14.1) |
| Breast infection/mastitis treated with antibiotics | 45 (6.3) | 15 (2.3) |
| Uterine infection treated with antibiotics | 19 (2.7) | 10 (1.5) |
| Cardiovascular | ||
| Irregular heartbeats | 15 (2.1) | 11 (1.7) |
| High blood pressure treated by a doctor | 13 (1.8) | 8 (1.2) |
| Respiratory | ||
| Runny or stuffy nose | 189 (26.4) | 238 (36.0) |
| Sore throat, cough, or cold | 164 (22.9) | 189 (28.6) |
| Sinus trouble | 84 (11.7) | 96 (14.5) |
| Asthma | 41 (5.7) | 37 (5.6) |
| Bronchitis or pneumonia treated by a doctor | 4 (0.6) | 4 (0.6) |
| Skin and hair | ||
| Acne | 129(18.0) | 111 (17.0) |
| Hair loss | 34 (5.0) | 67 (10.1) |
| Excessive sweating | 165 (23.0) | 49 (7.4) |
| Rash | 53 (7.4) | 37 (5.6) |
| Gastrointestinal | ||
| Constipation | 196 (27.4) | 92 (13.9) |
| Abdominal pain including indigestion (heartburn and cramps) | 149 (20.8) | 87 (13.2) |
| Hemorrhoids | 169 (23.6) | 83 (12.6) |
| Decreased appetite | 224 (31.3) | 82 (12.4) |
| Diarrhea or stomach flu | 54 (7.5) | 46 (7.0) |