Motivators and barriers to a healthy postpartum lifestyle in women at increased cardiovascular and metabolic risk: a focus-group study.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the motivators and barriers to the adoption of a healthy postpartum lifestyle after a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, and/or gestational diabetes.

METHODS

Thirty-six women with complicated pregnancies participated in six focus-group interviews that aimed to explore the perceptions of modifiable determinants of postpartum lifestyle.

RESULTS

Although women expressed that they intended to live a healthy postpartum lifestyle, it was generally not achieved. The motivators included improving their own current health condition as well as modeling a healthy lifestyle for their children. Important barriers were reported to be lack of knowledge, poor recovery, and lack of professional support after delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

The reported motivators and barriers can be used to develop a postpartum lifestyle intervention.