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Abstract The Relationship between Antepartum Fatigue and Traumatic Perinatal Experience among Employed Pregnant Women Kimberly K. Brands 1997 The purpose of this descriptive correlation study was to explore the relationship between perceived levels of antepartum fatigue and traumatic perinatal experiences reported by employed pregnant women living in urban and rural areas. Minimal research has investigated these factors among employed pregnant women. The demographic and personal characteristics of age, education, marital status, relationship with baby’s father, number and ages of children living at home, job type, job satisfaction, and health behaviors were identified and investigated as precipitating factors to antepartum fatigue. Correlation analyses were used to determine relationships between levels of fatigue and birth satisfaction. The data were collected and analyzed as a secondary analysis of a larger longitudinal study. The non-random sample consisted of 69 employed pregnant women living in the north-central region of the United States. In the current study, employed pregnant women were separated into two categories depending on whether they lived in a rural or urban area. Because there were presumed differences between living in a rural area verses an urban, differences were examined for relationships with other pertinent demographic and personal characteristics. Fatigue was found to be associated with traumatic perinatal experiences. The more chronic fatigue interferes with long term functioning, the lower the birth satisfaction. Also found, the more coping utilized with fatigue symptoms, the lower the birth satisfaction. A low birth satisfaction score was assumed to be indicative of a traumatic perinatal experience. It was found in this study that employed pregnant women with additional stressors report a higher level of antepartum fatigue. In addition, women with chronic fatigue that interferes with long term functioning report a lower birth satisfaction.
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