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. 2022 Aug 9;22(1):631.
doi: 10.1186/s12884-022-04961-z.

Women's holistic self-care behaviors during pregnancy and associations with psychological well-being: implications for maternal care facilities

Lam Duc Nguyen  1 , Long Hoang Nguyen  2 , Ly Thi Ninh  3 , Ha Thu Thi Nguyen  4 , Anh Duy Nguyen  4 , Linh Gia Vu  5   6 , Hao Si Anh Nguyen  7 , Son Hoang Nguyen  8 , Linh Phuong Doan  9   10 , Thuc Minh Thi Vu  7 , Bach Xuan Tran  11   12 , Carl A Latkin  12 , Cyrus S H Ho  13 , Roger C M Ho  13   14
Affiliations

Women's holistic self-care behaviors during pregnancy and associations with psychological well-being: implications for maternal care facilities

Lam Duc Nguyen et al. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. .

Abstract

Background: Self-care behaviors during pregnancy significantly impacts mother and children's health. This study aimed to explore the self-care behaviors and the associations of these behaviors with the psychological well-being of women during pregnancy, as well as the mediating effects of different social support with these associations.

Methods: A cross-sectional data of 562 pregnant women at Hanoi Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital and Ca Mau Obstetrics & Pediatrics in Vietnam were analyzed. Questions about self-care behaviors, pregnancy characteristics, social support, and psychological well-being were asked. Multivariate regression models were performed. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the mediating effects of different social support with the association between self-care behaviors and psychological well-being.

Findings: Only 13% of pregnant women often or always did physical exercise at least three times a week, and 40% consumed enough fiber and five servings of vegetables a day. Only 78.7% always avoided alcohol drinking, and 53.9% of pregnant women avoided being exposed to second-hand smoking and 71,7% avoided using traditional medicine without physicians' prescriptions. Around 66% of pregnant women always or often had prenatal care checkups as scheduled. Information sources, social support and childbirth expectation were major drivers for self-care practices. SEM model showed that social support mediated the relationship between maternal health behaviors and mental well-being.

Conclusion: This study highlighted the remarkable gaps in self-care practices among our pregnant women, which were significantly associated with their mental well-being. Social support-oriented consultancy and interventions should be warranted for improving behaviors and the mental well-being of pregnant women in Vietnam.

Keywords: Maternal behavior; Pregnant women; Psychological well-being; Social support; Structural equation modeling.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Frequency of different health behaviors
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Structural model and standardized path coefficients (n = 495). Note: (* p < 0.05)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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