The Relationship between Life Style and Individual Reproductively Characteristics of Pregnant Woman

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Life style is the collection of behaviors influenced by individuals' characteristics, social interactions and socio-economic situations. Since, pregnancy is a part of life it can change persons' life style. This study has tried to evaluate the relationship between life style and some characteristics of pregnant women. METHODS: This study was an analytic cross sectional study. The data were collected by a questionnaire about different life style dimensions and some characteristics of pregnant women from 326 subjects referred to selected health and treatment centers of Shiraz in 2005. The data were analyzed by SPSS using t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Findings of this study indicated the more acceptable life style was nutrition and the less acceptable was physical activity. There were significant relations (P<0.01) between pregnancy age and stress, parity and physical activity, education level and nutrition, with physical activity of studied population. Also there was a significant difference (P<0.01) concerning stress score in wanted and unwanted pregnancies, in dimension of stress and in dimension of nutrition and physical activity score in employed women and housewives (P<0.01). DISCUSSION: Educating pregnant woman about control of stress, suitable social relations, secure sex activity and regular appropriate physical activities at the time of maternal care are necessary. KEY WORDS: Life style, pregnancy, individuals' characteristics, pregnancy characteristics.