New Assessment Tool-Postpartum Functional Assessment Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Maternal functional status post-delivery is vital for daily activities and infant care.
• Assessing postpartum functional abilities enhances the quality of maternal healthcare.
• The study addresses the need for reliable tools to evaluate functional status after childbirth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the psychometric properties of the Postpartum Functional Assessment Questionnaire.
• To evaluate maternal functional abilities in the early postpartum period.
• To validate a tool for assessing postpartum recovery and care needs.

Main Methods:

• Observational study involving 301 women post-childbirth (234 vaginal, 67 cesarean).
• Utilized the eleven-item Postpartum Functional Assessment Questionnaire.
• Employed Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha for psychometric evaluation on postpartum days 1 and 3.

Main Results:

• The questionnaire demonstrated a two-factor structure (Mobility and Self-care).
• High internal consistency was found for both factors (Cronbach's alpha > 0.846).
• Statistically significant improvements in functional abilities and reduced pain were observed between postpartum days 1 and 3 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The Postpartum Functional Assessment Questionnaire exhibits robust psychometric properties.
• The questionnaire is a valuable and reliable instrument for clinical use in postpartum care.
• Findings support the use of this tool for monitoring maternal recovery and guiding interventions.