title: Life satisfaction and social support received by women in the perinatal period.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Birth of a baby has a big impact on women's lives. The presence and help of loved ones favours wellbeing, health, coping with difficult situations. The aim of this study was to determine whether women's satisfaction with life changes during pregnancy and after delivery, and to identify correlates of life satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Life satisfaction was measured using The Satisfaction with Life Scale - SWLS and received social support was assessed using the Berlin Social Support Scales - BSSS. The study was conducted in the third trimester of pregnancy and during the postpartum period, before discharge from the hospital. The research sample included a total of 199 women in the third trimester of pregnancy and 188 of initially participating women, who had physiological births or caesarean sections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results clearly show a significant increase in life satisfaction in the postpartum period (p < 0.0001). An important correlate of life satisfaction in the third trimester of pregnancy is social support received (p < 0.0001). During pregnancy such a correlate is emotional support received, and in the postnatal period- instrumental support received. An increase in instrumental support received (p = 0.031) and informational (p = 0.013) has been observed in the postpartum period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assessment of life satisfaction and received social support seem to be needed to gain a full picture of women's situation during birth, which will allow for planning and implementing maternity care appropriate to the needs of women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric Care Basics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gebuza
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric Care Basics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaźmierczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric Care Basics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Estera
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mieczkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetric Care Basics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gierszewska
authors.affiliation: NCU, Head of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kotzbach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support