title: [Childcare problems and maternal fatigue symptoms in families with twins and triplets].
abstract: A mailed questionnaire survey was conducted on a population of 123 mothers of twins and 96 mothers of triplets to study problems in the families and maternal fatigue symptoms. The following results were obtained. 1) The prevalence rate of handicap was 9.7 per 100 for triplets, and 4.9 per 100 for twins. The risk of handicap in triplet pregnancy was approximately 25%, and in twin pregnancy was approximately 10%. Therefore 1 in 4 mothers with triplets and 1 in 10 mothers with twins had one and more handicapped children. 2) Mothers with triplets aged 0-11 months reported significantly poorer sleep quality than mothers with triplets aged one year or more with shorter sleeping time, greater frequency of awakening during the night, and more complaints of inadequate sleep. Mothers with twins aged 0-11 months showed a greater tendency for poor sleep quality than mothers with twins aged one year or more. 3) Approximately 70% of mothers with twins and triplets aged up to two reported lack of time to care for the other children. When the age of twin was 3 or more, lack of time to take care of other children was reported by only 13.3% of mothers, while it was 41.7% for mothers with triplets. 4) Mothers of twins and triplets who did not receive assistance from others for childcare reported severe physical fatigue, compared to mothers who received assistance from others. Mothers of twins and triplets aged 3 or more showed a tendency of less physical fatigue, compared to mothers of twins and triplets aged up to two.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Kinki University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
mesh_terms: D002654:Child Care; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005221:Fatigue; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009035:Mothers; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014310:Triplets; D014427:Twins