Health-related quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile) of women with normal and pathological pregnancy and during delivery: correlation with clinical variables and self-reported limitations

Abstract

Objective

Pregnancy is often associated with changes in the psychological functioning of women. The present study aimed to analyze the incidence of health problems in pregnant mothers and the influence of these problems on their daily functioning using a survey.

Material and methods

The study included a total of 232 women aged 19–42 years. The tools used in the study were a self-developed questionnaire and the NHP questionnaire. The study was performed among women with pathological pregnancies and healthy pregnancies who delivered. Women with pathological pregnancies had pregnancy-induced hypertension, fetal hypotrophy, cholestasis, or gestational diabetes mellitus. Women with healthy pregnancies were recruited from the hospital ambulatory and cooperating private practices or during admission for delivery.

Results

Group K had significantly lowest “TOTAL” intensity in relation to the other groups. For variable “PROBLEMS,” a statistically significant difference was found between group K and group P (p=.001) and between group D and group P

Conclusions

Every woman may experience a different level of satisfaction with life during pregnancy. This is typically determined by the personality of the given individual, as well as by pregnancy-associated emotions. It is important that health care personnel should provide psychological support and follow individual approach for each pregnant woman.

Keywords:

• Nottingham Heath Profile Questionnaire
• pregnancy
• delivery

Acknowledgments

Patient enrollment methods, ways of obtaining the research material, and its storage were previously approved by the Director of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Hospital of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (specifically approved only for this study on 16 January 2018; Resolution No. 5/2018). The patients provided written informed consent for this study. The study was not financed with the funds for education.

Ethical statement

Patient enrollment methods, ways of obtaining the research material, and its storage were approved by the Bioethics Committee at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences (Resolution No. 1127/18).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.