Adolescent pregnant women's perception of health practices: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore adolescent pregnant women's perception of health practices. DESIGN: A qualitative study. METHOD: Fifteen pregnant women in Tehran (capital of Iran) were selected based on purposive sampling to participate in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The content of interviews was recorded and transcribed and then analysed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: The first theme extracted was health practice with main categories of balanced rest/activity pattern, observance of an appropriate diet, sensitivity to personal health, observance of an appropriate pattern of social interactions, religious and spiritual orientations, recreational and leisure time activities, and stress management; second theme was perceived benefits with main categories of a sense of physical health improvement, a sense of mental health improvement, positive attitudes towards the effect of nutrition on pregnancy and childbirth health; and third theme was effective factors with main categories of facilitators of health practices and inhibitors of health practices. CONCLUSIONS: Most pregnant adolescents' perception of health practices is at a satisfactory level; however, some inhibitors of health practice were explored in this study. These should be improved by adopting appropriate approaches in health policies. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Relationship of health practices with depression and maternal-fetal attachment in adolescent pregnant women: A prospective study.

AIM: To determine the relationship of health practices with depression and maternal-fetal attachment in adolescent pregnant women. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted on 316 adolescent pregnant women with medical records at the health centers in Tehran, Iran. The participants were selected through the complete enumeration. Data were collected using the socio-demographic and obstetrics questionnaire, the Health Practices Questionnaire-II (HPQ-II), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Cranley's Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS). The data were analyzed with the Pearson correlation test, the independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and the general linear model. RESULTS: The mean scores of health practices, depression, and maternal-fetal attachment were 135.3 (SD 9.1, range 34-170), 10.1 (SD 5.4, range 0-30), and 91.6 (SD 8.6, range 24-120), respectively. The results of Pearson correlation test showed that health practices had a significant relationship with depression (r = -0.29) and maternal-fetal attachment (r = 0.37). Results of general linear model showed that an increase in the health practices score led to a significant decrease in depression score during pregnancy [ß = -0.10; 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.04] and a significant increase in maternal-fetal attachment score [ß = 0.30; 95% CI: 0.19 to 0.40]. CONCLUSION: There is significant relationship between health practices and depression, as well as maternal-fetal attachment in adolescent pregnant women. Therefore, intervention to improve one of them may improve the other one(s).

Predictors of health practices among a group of Iranian adolescent pregnant women: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: The health practices of pregnant women can affect maternal and fetal health, and pregnancy outcomes. Understanding the predictors of health practices in adolescent pregnant women can help improve these practices. The present study aimed to determine the predictors of health practices in adolescent pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 316 adolescent pregnant women in health centers of Tehran (capital of Iran). The participants were selected through the census method. The data were collected using the socio-demographic, obstetrics and health practices questionnaires and analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and general linear model. RESULTS: The mean score of health practice was 135.29 ± 9.08, ranging from 34 to 170. The highest and the lowest mean score pertained to the avoidance of harmful drugs and opiates subscale (29.79) and the balance of rest and exercise subscale (13.15), respectively. The general linear model showed that a lower level of education, a history of abortion, lack of involvement in pre-pregnancy counseling, and delayed attendance for prenatal care, reduced the health practice score. However, high level of emotional support from the spouse increased the health practice score. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlighted the factors effective on health practices including involvement in pre-pregnancy counseling, early prenatal care and emotional support for the adolescent pregnant woman.

Effect of birth plans on childbirth experience: A systematic review.

AIM: The birth plans were developed as an approach for pregnant women to present their expectations for labour and childbirth. The aim of this study was to assess whether birth plans (a written document in which pregnant women describe preferences about their care during labour and childbearing) compared with standard or routine approach (supine position, continuous fetal monitoring, enema, episiotomy) affect the birth experience (woman's perception of labour and childbirth as positive or negative experience) or satisfaction with birth. METHODS: This systematic review was performed by searching several databases, including Cochrane Library, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, ACP Journal Club, Google Scholar, and Persian databases (SID, Magiran, and Barakat) up to February 10, 2018. RESULTS: By searching the databases, 1006 published articles were found, of which 480 and 114 articles were excluded by review of the titles and the abstracts, respectively. Finally, we included three clinical trials (1132 women) in the review. The results of two study showed that the mean score of birth experience in the birth plan group was significantly higher than the control group (P ≤ 0.01). However, the results of a study showed that there were no statistically significant differences between birth plan and control groups (P > 0.05). Quality of included studies was very low. CONCLUSIONS: There is not enough evidence to support or refute that birth plan can improve the birth experience or satisfaction with birth.