Underlying beliefs of preventive health behaviours among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus: A descriptive qualitative study.

AIMS: To explore the underlying beliefs of preventive health behaviours among women with a history of GDM who had low levels of preventive health behaviours during their postpartum period in Singapore. METHODS: This paper reports on the qualitative arm of a mixed method study. The qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Individual interviews were conducted between 7th September 2020 and 25th September 2020 using a semi-structured interview guide. Data collected were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 18 women completed the interview. The participants' ages ranged from 26 to 40 years with a mean age of 33.17 years (SD= 4.09). The duration since childbirth was 8.78 months (SD = 1.35). Through thematic analysis, five themes were developed: lifestyle adjustment, self-motivation, supportive environment, barriers to practising a healthy lifestyle, and risk perception. A total of 14 subthemes emerged from the five main themes. The beliefs of women with a history of GDM were described according to the Theory of Planned Behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: Having a newborn brings changes to the lifestyle of a woman and her family, which can affect the health behaviours in the postpartum period. This study revealed several novel findings relating to the unmet needs of women who had GDM, specifically to the need for information and emotional support to safely resume healthy behaviours after childbirth, for which participants have provided suggestions on how to enhance the continuity of care in the postpartum period.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of psychoeducation on the psychological and social impact among first-time mothers.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence of the effectiveness of psychoeducation in improving self-efficacy and social support and reducing depression and anxiety in first-time mothers. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted on nine databases, grey literature, and trial registries for randomised controlled trials published from the databases' inception to 27 December 2021. Two independent reviewers screened studies, extracted data, and appraised the risk of bias. RevMan 5.4 was used for the meta-analyses of all outcomes. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted. Overall evidence quality was appraised using GRADE approach. RESULTS: Twelve studies involving 2083 first-time mothers were included. The meta-analyses favoured psychoeducation as compared to control groups. At immediate post-intervention, statistically significant increments were seen in self-efficacy and social support, while a significant reduction in depression was observed but not in anxiety. At three months postpartum, a statistically significant decrease in depression was observed, but the effects on self-efficacy and social support were insignificant. CONCLUSION: Psychoeducation improved first-time mothers' self-efficacy, social support, and depression. However, the evidence was very uncertain. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Psychoeducation might be incorporated into patient education of first-time mothers. More studies with familial and digital-based psychoeducation interventions, especially in non-Asian countries, are needed.

Perceptions of physical activity during pregnancy among women: A descriptive qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the perceptions on physical activity during pregnancy among pregnant and postpartum women in Singapore. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative study. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify the main themes associated with women's perceptions of physical activity during pregnancy. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Twenty-two women were recruited from a tertiary hospital specializing in healthcare for women and children in Singapore. FINDINGS: Two themes and five subthemes were generated. The themes were "From what I know" about physical activity to actual physical activity and "What keeps and stops me from moving". Women lacked awareness of the recommended guidelines for physical activity during pregnancy. Factors such as support systems, informational support and the benefits associated with physical activity influenced women's physical activity behavior. Factors such as fear of harming the fetus, physical discomforts and family commitments deterred women from participating in physical activity. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Women lacked understanding of the optimal physical activity needed during pregnancy. The findings in this study highlight the need for improved physical activity education and social support during pregnancy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Given the potential health benefits of staying active during pregnancy, healthcare professionals and administrators need to promote physical activity among pregnant women to improve both mothers' and newborns' health outcomes.