Page 151 - Pro-active Management of Women’s Health after Cardiometabolic Complicated Pregnancies

3.4 Motivators and barriers to a healthy postpartum lifestyle| 149 since their offspring had more frequently been admitted to a neonatal care
facility.
DISCUSSION
Our results show that even though most women reported that they had the intention, the majority did not succeed in adopting a healthy lifestyle. Barriers included poor postpartum physical and psychological recovery, and lack of postpartum medical and psychological support from their healthcare specialists. This suggests that there is a need for professional support in the adoption of a healthy lifestyle after pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction and/or gestational diabetes. Professional support should focus on provision of knowledge about the pregnancy complications, their consequences, and what to expect after delivery.
The finding that poor postpartum recovery is a barrier to live a healthy lifestyle confirms previous research148 264. According to the participants in the present study, after delivery more information is needed about the complication and its consequences, about what to expect regarding its course, and how to deal with the complication and postpartum recovery. This is especially the case in severe complications. Women also prefer to receive more psychological and physical guidance to support their recovery, and would like to be guided in adopting a healthy lifestyle. They expect such information and guidance from their healthcare specialists. Healthcare specialists could be assisted and exonerated in the application of a lifestyle intervention directly after delivery, as previously proposed by Sattar et al1.
It has been suggested that pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and/or gestational diabetes may provide a