한의치료를 받은 산모의 산후 6주간 증상에 대한 전향적 관찰 연구

• Published in: 大韓韓方婦人科學會誌 Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 114 - 134
• Main Authors: 김평화, Pyung-wha Kim, 김안나, An-na Kim, 장현철, Hyun-chul Jang, 이은희, Eun-hee Lee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 대한한방부인과학회 25.11.2017
• Subjects: EQ-VAS; Interview; Korean Medicine; Personal Health Records; Postpartum; 한의학; Personal Health Records; Korean Medicine; EQ-VAS; Postpartum; Interview
• ISSN: 1229-4292; 2508-3619
• DOI: 10.15204/jkobgy.2017.30.4.114

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the changes of women's postpartum symptoms, including their weights, edema index and quality of life (QOL) over the first six weeks after childbirth. Methods: The study participants were 31 postpartum women treated in the Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, at Woo-Suk University Korean Medicine Hospital, from May 20th to August 5th, 2016. In the first 2 weeks of the postpartum period, the main data collection method was to interview each patient and write down all of their complaints, and additionally referring to each participant's PHR (Personal Health Records). At the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th week, the researcher interviewed participants by phone once a week. The participants' weight, edema index (ECW/TBW) and the quality of life (by EQ-VAS) were measured at 1st and 2nd week after childbirth. And, EQ-VAS was assessed once more at the 6th week after childbirth. As a last step, the participants responded to a survey on satisfaction regarding their postpartum care with Korean Medicine. Results: 1. In the 1st one week after childbirth, edema was the most frequent complaint. It was about joint pain of the upper limbs in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, sweating in the 4th week, and joint pain of the upper limbs in the 5th and the 6th weeks. 2. In the 1st two weeks of the postpartum period, the weight of the participants decreased from 66.33±}9.30 kg to 62.60±}8.92 kg (p<0.001) and the edema index ECW/TBW decreased from 0.399±}0.010 to 0.385±}0.004 (p<0.001). The EQ-VAS significantly improved from 61.77±}17.72 to 73.51±}14.67 (p<0.001). In the last 4-weeks of the postpartum period, the EQ-VAS decreased from 74.30±}14.25 to 73.63±}13.35, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.749). 3. Regarding the satisfaction with postpartum care with Korean Medicine, 60% of the participants responded that it was ‘Excellent' and 40% said it was ‘Good'. Conclusion: Over the entire postpartum period, the most frequent complaints were about musculoskeletal symptoms. Postpartum care with Korean Medicine treatments in the early postpartum period improves various postpartum symptoms and the quality of life for postpartum women.