Motivators and barriers to a healthy postpartum lifestyle in women at increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk: a focus-group study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the motivators and barriers to the adoption of a healthy postpartum lifestyle after a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and/or gestational diabetes.


METHODS
Thirty-six women with complicated pregnancies participated in six focus-group interviews that aimed to explore the perceptions of modifiable determinants of postpartum lifestyle.


RESULTS
Although women expressed that they intended to live a healthy postpartum lifestyle, it was generally not achieved. The motivators included improving their own current health condition as well as modeling a healthy lifestyle for their children. Important barriers were reported to be lack of knowledge, poor recovery, and lack of professional support after delivery.


CONCLUSIONS
The reported motivators and barriers can be used to develop a postpartum lifestyle intervention.
Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.hoedjes@erasmusmc.nl
Meeke
M
Hoedjes
Durk
D
Berks
Ineke
I
Vogel
Arie
A
Franx
Johannes J
JJ
Duvekot
Anke
A
Oenema
Eric A P
EA
Steegers
Hein
H
Raat
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017144:Focus Groups; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008019:Life Style; D009042:Motivation; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011247:Pregnancy; D055815:Young Adult