title: Survey of Neonates in Pomerania (SniP): a population based analysis of the mothers' quality of life after delivery with special relations to their social integration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Women's overall quality of life prior to delivery and the changes expected by the mothers within the near future have been analyzed addressing items like employment, finances, housing and relationships to family, friends and neighbours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population based women were asked to answer a questionnaire (Survey of Neonates in Pomerania - SNIP) during their stay at the hospital after delivery. The area studied is North-East Germany.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 1553 women with 1122 questionnaires (72.3%) analyzed. Positive assessment concerning the quality of life was observed in 91.2% without expecting serious worsening after delivery. Negative assessments were found within the categories employment (23.3%) and finances (26.3%). Worsening was expected within employment (34%), finances (52.1%) and shortening of spare time (39.6%). Within all other categories no changes or even an improvement after delivery were expected. The overall assessment was correlated to the mothers' social relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most women stated their own quality of life as positive, none expected serious worsening. Employment, finances and social bindings are factors with strong relationship on the mothers' self-assessment.
authors.affiliation: University of Greifswald, Div. of General Pediatrics & Pediatrics, Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care. ab030391@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beyersdorff
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Marie Luise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lingnau
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fusch
authors.forename: Johannes Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Haas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires