title: Predictors of Hyperglycemic Women's Perinatal Health Status.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperglycemic women face dramatic physiological and psychosocial changes during the perinatal period; however, studies examining hyperglycemic women's health are few, and limited to cross-sectional designs.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine changes in hyperglycemic women's stress, social support, depression, and health status from pregnancy to 1 year postpartum, and to identify factors predicting hyperglycemic women's perinatal health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine participants with positive results in a 50-g glucose challenge test were recruited in a medical center in southern Taiwan. A repeated measures study was conducted; measurements were made at 28 weeks of pregnancy, and 1 week, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after childbirth. The Social Support Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire, and the Chinese Health Questionnaire were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with hyperglycemic women's depression at 28 weeks of pregnancy, significant decreases in mean depression scores were found at 1 week and 1 year postpartum. Hyperglycemic women's health status improved at 6 months and 1 year postpartum. Depression significantly predicted hyperglycemic women's perinatal health status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stress and depression are associated with perinatal health status in hyperglycemic women. Healthcare providers should more closely assess stress and depression levels in hyperglycemic women from pregnancy to 1 year postpartum. Interventions promoting the psychological well-being of hyperglycemic women are required.
authors: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors: Ching-Yun
authors: CY
authors: Yu
authors: Professor, School of Nursing, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors: Chich-Hsiu
authors: CH
authors: Hung
authors: Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, National Tainan Junior College of Nursing, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors: Mei-Chuan
authors: MC
authors: Huang
authors: Professor, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University & Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan.
authors: Te-Fu
authors: TF
authors: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan
keywords: depression; health status; hyperglycemic women; perinatal period; social support; stress