Page 66 - Pro-active Management of Women’s Health after Cardiometabolic Complicated Pregnancies

64 | Part 3 Lifestyle intervention
emergency caesarean section, preterm birth, and admission to an intensive care unit. Furthermore, in the postpartum period, women who have experienced pregnancy complications more frequently report physical symptoms (e.g., headache and fatigue)148, cognitive difficulties (e.g., problems with concentration and memory)149, and emotional duress150 151. These postpartum problems can be important barriers to the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.
In order to select an effective intervention strategy, an overview of the effects of existing postpartum lifestyle interventions is needed. Therefore, we present a systematic review of the literature on the effects of postpartum lifestyle interventions targeted at weight loss, smoking cessation, and smoking relapse prevention. The characteristics of these postpartum lifestyle interventions are also briefly described. After completion of this educational activity, physicians should be better able to counsel patients on how to apply existing postpartum intervention strategies aimed at weight loss, smoking cessation, and smoking relapse prevention to lower cardiovascular risk.
METHODS
Literature Search
A systematic review of the literature up to May 2010 was conducted using the following computerized databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsychInfo, and Cinahl. First, these databases were searched for literature on the effects of postpartum lifestyle interventions on weight loss, smoking cessation, and the prevention of smoking relapse, with specific regard to women who experienced preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and/or gestational diabetes.
Since no articles on the effects of lifestyle interventions after these