title: [Postpartum fatigue].
abstract: The postpartum period is a critical one, in which a mother's period when women's physical and mental condition will change as a result of her giving birth. Research has shown that 44% to 95% of postpartum mothers in the United States experience postpartum fatigue, i.e., that postpartum fatigue is a common problem. The condition is viewed as a complex phenomenon related to physiological, psychological and situational factors and experienced as "an unpleasant symptom". Postpartum fatigue can interfere with the new mother's ability to care for her infant, and is also considered to affect her quality of life adversely. This article provides an overview of the concept of postpartum fatigue including a definition, significance, an explanation of it and an outline of factors influencing it. It also makes recommendations for nurses involved in practice, research, and health policy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Chang Gung Institute of Technology, No. 261 Wen-Hua 1st Road, Kei-Shan, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, ROC. yiliko@mail.cgit.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yili
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life