Body image satisfaction and related factors in postpartum women at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Abstract

Introduction : In postpartum women, their body shape has extensively changed. Body image has positive and negative effect including self confidence, self esteem and may lead to mental health problem. Understanding the body image satisfaction and its related factors may be beneficial for helping postpartum women to develop appropriate satisfaction in their body image.

Objective : To study body image satisfaction and its related factors in postpartum women at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Research design : A cross-sectional descriptive study.

Participants : Postpartum women at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Methods : The subjects were 95 postpartum women at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

Research : instruments were self reported questionnaire to collect Demographic Data, assess pregnant factors, General Health Questionnaire 28 and Body Shape Questionnaire. Results The mean age of subjects were 28.8 years old. Most of the postpartum women (69.5%) had scored their body image at moderate level of satisfaction. The factors associated with their body image satisfaction were namely: marital status, body weight, expected weight, labour delivery, annoyance about lactorrhea, support for baby care, breast feeding, perception of husband’s satisfaction and their own mental health. From Multiple Regression Analysis, a model which included body weight, support for baby care, breast feeding, marital status and annoyance with lactorrhea with a predicative value of 48.0 percent (R2 = 0.480).

Conclusion : Factors regarding demographic, pregnancy psychosocial were associated with body image satisfaction. Health promotion and education for body weight control, postpartum care-particularly relieving feeling of annoyance with lactorrhea-promoting for breast feeding and support during daily baby care especially by husband; all these may be beneficial for improving family relationships and satisfaction of their body image among postpartum women.