The physical and emotional health of South Korean mothers of preterm infants in the early postpartum period: a descriptive correlational study

• Published in: Child health nursing research 2022, Vol.28 (2), p.103-111
• Main Authors: Park, Jiyun, Bang, Kyung-Sook
• Format: Article
• Language: Korean
• ISSN: 2287-9110; 2287-9129

Purpose: This study investigated the physical and emotional health of South Korean mothers of preterm infants in the early postpartum period. Methods: In this descriptive correlational study, the participants included 91 mothers of preterm infants who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in South Korea. Physical health status was measured using a self-reported questionnaire, postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and guilt using a 4-item scale. Results: Fatigue had the highest score among mothers' physical health problems, followed by shoulder pain, nipple pain, neck pain. The average postpartum depression score was 11.02 points, and 44% of women had postpartum depression with a score of 12 or above. Postpartum depression significantly was correlated with physical health (r=.35, p=.001), anxiety (r=.84, p