Assessing the association between fatigue and functional status during postpartum.

Objective: Fatigue and decreased functional status are common health concerns during postpartum. Although studied separately in the past, this study assessed levels and explored the relationship between these two variables.

Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with a convenience sample of 315 women to measure levels and assess the association between fatigue and functional status during postpartum.

Results: Moderate levels of fatigue and functional status were found. Fatigue levels and functional status were significantly higher in multiparas compared to primiparas, and fatigue was significantly higher in women who had cesarean births compared to vaginal births. Additionally, no significant correlation was found between fatigue and functional status during postpartum in this study.

Conclusion: The lack of a statistically significant association between fatigue and functional status warrants further research since limited studies have been conducted. Findings of this study may assist healthcare providers in planning and implementing holistic assessment and care for women in postpartum.