title: Health related quality of life across the perinatal period among Australian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the significant features in health-related quality of life and to examine the changes over time during the perinatal period.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Health-related quality of life during the perinatal period is significant for women. Screening or surveillance during the perinatal period is inconsistent and often not part of continued assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Setting involved antenatal clinics at three public hospitals in metropolitan Brisbane, Australia. A total of 363 participants out of a cohort of 605 women completed all items of the Short Form-12 Health Survey in late pregnancy and again at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant difference across the three perinatal time periods in all the health-related quality-of-life subscales. Significant improvements were noted from late pregnancy to 6 weeks following childbirth and again at 12 weeks particularly in physical health, role physical, bodily pain, vitality, role emotional and mental health. Even when confounding variables such as maternal ages, partner status, parity, delivery type and ethnicity were introduced, significant improvements were noted. Maternal distress significantly related to almost all quality-of-life factors over time even when all possible confounding factors were controlled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant changes occur in health-related quality of life across the perinatal period. All dimensions of health-related quality of life except for social functioning and maternal distress showed marked improvement following childbirth. During this period, maternal distress was negatively related to health-related quality of life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurses need to be mindful of the broader view of health as encompassed in health-related quality-of-life measures and the potential these have for alerting health professionals when providing care. More rigorous health assessment for mothers at risk is useful so that appropriate support and follow-up can be given.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery & Nutrition, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Emmanuel
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life; D011793:Queensland; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: care; clinical; maternal distress; nurses; postpartum; pregnancy; quality of life