Table 2.
Health and health behaviours by age group and mode of conception (% unless otherwise specified)
| |
Age group (years) |
Mode of conception |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Up to 30 |
31 – 36 |
37 and older |
SC |
ARTC |
| n = 178 | n = 218 | n = 196 | n = 295 | n = 297 | |
|
Physical health | |||||
| SF12 Physical Component Score (PCS) Mean (SD)1 |
43.9 (8.0) |
43.4 (9.3) |
43.5 (8.5) |
44.1 (8.2) |
43.1 (9.1) |
| Self-rated general health Mean (SD) 1=Poor to 5=Excellent1 |
4.0 (0.8) |
4.1 (0.8) |
4.1 (0.8) |
4.0 (0.8) |
4.1 (0.8) |
| Feeling very well during pregnancy |
28.1 |
28.0 |
37.2* |
28.1 |
34.0 |
|
Health problems in first two trimesters: | |||||
| Nausea / vomiting |
84.3 |
77.5 |
76.0 |
80.7 |
77.4 |
| Stiff or painful joints |
58.4 |
58.1 |
49.2 |
59.5 |
51.0* |
| Tender breasts |
85.3 |
83.4 |
79.6 |
87.8 |
77.7* |
| Vaginal discharge or irritation |
56.7 |
56.9 |
53.4 |
56.9 |
54.4 |
| Heart palpitations |
19.7 |
34.6** |
29.9* |
28.2 |
28.8 |
|
Health problems in third trimester2 | |||||
| Carpal Tunnel syndrome |
13.9 |
18.2 |
19.0 |
17.7 |
16.7 |
| Gestational diabetes |
4.6 |
4.2 |
9.0 |
3.2 |
8.5** |
| Pelvic instability |
18.5 |
24.8 |
21.7 |
23.4 |
20.4 |
| Pre-eclampsia |
2.9 |
7.0 |
8.5* |
5.0 |
7.5 |
| Placenta praevia |
1.2 |
5.1* |
5.3* |
2.1 |
5.8* |
| Baby growing less well than expected |
4.6 |
6.1 |
6.9 |
6.4 |
5.4 |
| Premature labour |
7.5 |
7.0 |
7.9 |
7.1 |
7.8 |
|
Health problems during pregnancy3 | |||||
| High blood pressure |
12.9 |
11.0 |
12.2 |
10.8 |
13.1 |
| Severe Tiredness |
87.6 |
86.7 |
88.3 |
88.5 |
86.5 |
| Haemorrhoids /other bowel problems |
44.9 |
55.5 |
55.6 |
51.2 |
53.5 |
| Indigestion / heartburn |
83.7 |
80.3 |
81.6 |
81.4 |
82.2 |
| Headaches / migraines |
69.7 |
63.3 |
64.8 |
66.4 |
65.0 |
| Back pain |
83.7 |
81.2 |
76.5 |
83.7 |
77.1* |
| Vaginal bleeding |
24.2 |
21.6 |
30.1 |
21.4 |
29.0* |
|
Mental health | |||||
| SF12 Mental Component Score (MCS) Mean (SD)1 |
52.9 (7.3) |
53.1 (8.2) |
54.1 (8.2) |
52.7 (7.9) |
54.0 (8.0) |
| Episodes of intense anxiety in first two trimesters |
49 (27.5) |
74 (34.1) |
55 (28.4) |
94 (32.0) |
84 (28.5) |
| Anxiety or depression in third trimester |
7.5 |
8.4 |
7.4 |
9.9 |
5.8 |
| EDS total score Mean (SD)1 |
6.0 (4.5) |
5.1 (4.3) |
4.6 (4.4)** |
5.8 (4.6) |
4.6 (4.2 )*** |
| EDS Score >14 |
4.5 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
4.8 |
2.4 |
| STAI A-State total score Mean (SD)1 |
32.4 (8.2) |
31.6 (9.0) |
30.8 (8.6) |
32.7 (9.6) |
30.5 (7.4)* |
| STAI state score >40 |
16.4 |
14.3 |
14.8 |
17.7 |
12.5 |
| STAI A-Trait total score Mean (SD)1 |
34.8 (8.3) |
34.0 (8.7) |
32.8 (8.0)* |
34.7 (8.6) |
33.0 (8.1)* |
| STAI trait score >40 |
24.7 |
21.7 |
17.3 |
21.8 |
20.5 |
| Mostly or very calm and relaxed |
52.8 |
63.8* |
69.9** |
59.0 |
66.0 |
|
Health behaviours during pregnancy | |||||
| Used any prescription medication |
13.5* |
14.7* |
23.0 |
15.9 |
18.2 |
| Used any over-the-counter medication |
42.1 |
46.8 |
46.4 |
40.7 |
49.8* |
| Any smoking |
2.8 |
3.7 |
2.6 |
4.1 |
2.0 |
| Any alcohol |
14.7 |
20.3 |
16.0 |
18.1 |
16.3 |
| Exercising at least weekly |
94.9 |
97.7 |
90.8** |
96.3 |
92.9 |
|
Hospital admissions3 | |||||
| Pregnancy-related |
13.5 |
15.1 |
18.4 |
11.5 |
19.9** |
| Non pregnancy-related | 0.6 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 3.7** |
1 For ease of interpretation, means are reported. However, non-parametric Mann–Whitney tests were used to test for between group differences, as the distribution was non-normal.
2 Derived from postnatal questionnaires items assessing final trimester pregnancy health retrospectively, n=576.
3 Derived from pregnancy and postnatal questionnaires.
* p<0.05; ** p<0.01; *** p<0.001.
Bold indicates statistically significantly different groups.