Quality of life and related factors in women, aged 15-49 in the 12-month post-partum period in Turkey

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the quality of life (QoL) and related factors in women in a 12-month postpartum period. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to ascertain the factors related to QoL of postpartim women in Konya city, Turkey. Participants of the study consisted of 1749 first-year postpartum women. Main outcome measures were Quality of Life Scale and factors potentially related to postpartum QoL. Results: It was found that being over the age of 35 years, having a spouse with a low level of education, having a low income, having a large number of children, not having social support from the spouse or other family members and not having time to rest or sleep were related to QoL. Conclusions: The QoL of postpartum women is related not only to sociodemographic and fertility characteristics, but also to the degree that social support is available and a woman's ability to find time for herself to rest and sleep. © 2008 The Authors.