An exploratory study to evaluate the utility of an adapted Mother Generated Index (MGI) in assessment of postpartum quality of life in India
2008

Evaluating Postpartum Quality of Life in India

Sample size: 195 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Nagpal Jitender, Dhar Rinku Sen Gupta, Sinha Swati, Bhargava Vijaylakshmi, Sachdeva Aarti, Bhartia Abhishek

Primary Institution: Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research

Hypothesis

The Mother Generated Index (MGI) could be more useful than structured questionnaires in assessing postpartum quality of life in India.

Conclusion

The study shows that the MGI is a potentially useful tool for evaluating postpartum quality of life in India, especially in the absence of a validated alternative.

Supporting Evidence

  • The study included 249 women, with 195 successfully completing the MGI evaluation.
  • A trend towards lower quality of life scores was observed in lower socioeconomic strata.
  • 59.4% of mothers scored suggestive of possible depression according to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Takeaway

This study looked at how new mothers in India feel after having a baby, using a special questionnaire that lets them share what matters most to them.

Methodology

The study used two-stage cluster randomized sampling to recruit postpartum women and assessed quality of life using the Mother Generated Index.

Potential Biases

The primarily negative nature of the comments selected in the pilot study may have influenced the overall quality of life scores.

Limitations

The study is limited by the poor ability of lower socioeconomic class subjects to complete the questionnaire and was conducted in only one district.

Participant Demographics

The average age of participants was 27 years, with 46.4% being first-time mothers and varying socioeconomic statuses.

Statistical Information

P-Value

0.024

Confidence Interval

95% CI

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1477-7525-6-107

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