Relationship between delivery history and health-related quality of life in menopausal South Korean women: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
OBJECTIVE
The study investigated the association between childbirth history and health-related quality of life (QOL) in menopausal South Korean women.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) for 4277 menopausal women aged over 50. We used the EuroQol index to measure health-related QOL.


METHODS
The relationship between delivery history and health-related QOL in menopausal South Korean women was analyzed.


RESULTS
After adjustment for age (model 1), women who were younger at their first delivery and who had a greater number of deliveries had a significantly higher risk of problems with mobility, self-care, usual activities and pain or discomfort; the risk of anxiety or depression was not increased. After adjustment for age, BMI, smoking, use of alcohol, exercise, income, education, marital status, metabolic syndrome and stress (model 2), women who were younger at their first delivery and who had a greater number of deliveries had a significantly higher risk of problems with mobility, self-care and pain or discomfort. Age at last delivery was not significantly associated with health-related QOL in either model.


CONCLUSIONS
South Korean women who were younger at their first delivery and who had more deliveries appear to be at increased risk of health-related QOL problems after menopause.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jeong In
JI
Choi
Department of Biostatistics, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyung-do
KD
Han
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Sa Jin
SJ
Kim
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Min Jeong
MJ
Kim
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Jae Eun
JE
Shin
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: leehaenam@catholic.ac.kr.
Hae Nam
HN
Lee
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010298:Parity; D011788:Quality of Life; D017584:Reproductive History; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012648:Self Care; D012907:Smoking
Delivery history; EuroQol index; Health-related quality of life; Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys