Effect of Intervention Programs for Improving Maternal Adaptation in Korea: Systematic Review

The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of nursing intervention for maternal adaptation and its' effectiveness in Korea by utilizing a systematic review.

The PICO(Population-Intervention-Compar ator-Outcome) strategy was established, and 1,720 pieces of literature published during the last ten-year period from four electronic databases were reviewed. Eighteen references that met inclusion and exclusion criteria were finally selected for systematic review. The quality of references using critical appraisal checklist for experimental studies were evaluated, and then systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted.

All 18 references were quasi-experimental research design. Most interventions were provided at the hospital and postpartum care center. Maternal adaptation interventions appeared to be of many types, and particularly maternal role education programs were the most common. Confidence in maternal role was used as the most common variable for the maternal adaptati on. Various interventions for helping maternal adaptation in the postnatal period improved maternal confidence, moth er-infant attachment, maternal satisfaction and mother-infant interaction effectively.

A diversity of nursin g interventions in postnatal period improved various aspects of maternal adaptation. Randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies are needed in order to verify the effect of interventions for maternal adaptation more clearly.