Women's physical health after childbirth, do violence and depression histories represent risk factors for more postpartum physical health symptoms?

grantor: University of TorontoA prevalence study was conducted to document the extent and the correlates of common postpartum physical health symptoms, and to determine whether violence and depression histories were associated with these symptoms. Women were recruited in the hospital after delivery and were interviewed by telephone 8 to 10 weeks later. Data were also obtained from women's medical records. Two hundred of the 332 (60.2%) women who were approached completed the study. Most women (96%) reported at least one physical symptom. The risk factors identified by the stepwise logistic regression were: assisted vaginal delivery (' RR' = 2.04; 95% 'CI' = 1.26-3.29), sick leave during pregnancy ('RR') = 1.92; 95% 'CI' = 1.11-3.33), depression during pregnancy ('RR' = 2.01; 95% 'CI' = 1.20-3.38), and possibly adult emotional abuse ('RR' = 1.57; 95% 'CI' = 0.97-2.56). Postnatal physical symptoms are common. Practice implications for health professionals are discussed.M.Sc