Factors Working against Alleviation by the 30th Day Postpartum

Abstract

Objectives: This study set out to identify factors that work against alleviation of anemia at the 30th day postpartum in women diagnosed with anemia on three days postpartum.
Method: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study, involving 246 women giving birth, all had been diagnosed with anemia on three days postpartum, and provided a blood sample at the medical examination one month after the birth. Analysis was performed with the demographic data of the participants, details of the anemia, adherence to the nutrition advice, family structure, assistance by others, and self-management skills (SMS) by dividing the participants into anemia alleviated and non-alleviated groups at the 30th day postpartum.
Results: Of the 211 valid responses, one-fifth (45 women, 21.3%) showed no alleviation. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed a strong relationship between anemia risk and SMS: the absence of anemia alleviation increased 2.5 times when the total of the SMS score decreased one point (p < .01) and 279.5 times when any of breakfast, lunch, or supper was missed during non-pregnancy (p < .01).
Conclusion: Providing an intervention program to alleviate postpartum anemia is important due to the potential for non-alleviation with low SMS and the danger of non-alleviation with missed meals before pregnancy.