ABSTRACT

Background & objective: Postpartum period is associated with significant changes in women’s quality of life. These changes can be effective on the health of both mother and child. Due to the importance of life quality, the postpartum period and postnatal factors affecting quality of life, including delivery type, this study was performed to compare the quality of life in women after normal vaginal delivery and cesarean section, eight weeks after delivery.

Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the study population was 300 women 20-40 years old, who referred to Ardabil health centers at 2010. Quality of life of samples were assessed in the first eight weeks of postnatal life, using World Health Organization shortened quality of life tool in the physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. The data was analyzed using SPSS v.16 software and descriptive and analytic statistics.

Results:The results showed that quality of life aspects scores in normal vaginal delivery were 68/4±11/25 and morethan cesarean section (57/9±4/29). Also mean score of mentallife quality domaininnormal vaginal delivery was 79/32±12/14, which was slightly higher than the cesarean section group with a mean score of 77/41±13/6. But findings showed no differences between cesarean section and vaginal delivery groups in different domains of  quality of life.

Conclusion: According to study results, physical and mental domains scores of quality of life in vaginal delivery group were better than cesarean section group.Health care provider’s advices could be effective in reducing elective cesarean section and consequently improvement of life quality in women after delivery.

Key Words: Quality of Life, Normal Vaginal Delivery, Cesarian Section