title: Health-related quality of life in pregnancy and postpartum among women with assisted conception in Canada.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of mode of conception (spontaneous vs. assisted) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of data from the All Our Babies cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 243 women with assisted conception and 3,309 women with spontaneous conception.
  
  
  METHODS
  Short Form 12 (SF-12) health survey administered by means of questionnaires at <25 weeks, 34-36 weeks of gestation, and 4 months postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in the SF-12 Physical (PCS) and Mental (MCS) Component Summary scores from pregnancy to postpartum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PCS scores were lower during pregnancy and at <25 weeks and 34-36 weeks of gestation among women with assisted conception, but were equivalent to those of women with spontaneous conception by 4 months postpartum. The MCS scores were higher at <25 weeks among women with assisted conception, but by 34-36 weeks of gestation and at 4 months postpartum they were similar regardless of the method of conception. Analysis of covariance showed no significant differences for the changes in PCS and MCS scores from pregnancy to postpartum between assisted and spontaneous conception groups, after adjusting for covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with assisted conception may report lower physical and better mental health during pregnancy than women with spontaneous conception. At 4 months postpartum, there were no differences in self-reported HRQoL between modes of conception. Women with assisted conception may benefit from support and reassurance that perception of suboptimal health may improve over pregnancy and into the postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: aevintur@ucalgary.ca.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vinturache
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Stephenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Muci
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Hamideh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayrampour
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tough
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Assisted conception; SF-12; mental health; physical health; quality of life