Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2004 Sep;10(3):226-234.

Health Status, Reproductive Health Problems, and the Degree of Prenatal Management in Married Working Women

• Kim J
• Han SH

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was to examine health status, reproductive health problems and the degree of prenatal management in working women. METHOD: The subjects were 902 married working women among 2, 000 women selected by cluster sampling. The work area was classified to product factory, school, office, etc. After an Informed consent was obtained, participants were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire. The instruments included a questionnaire, parity check list, menstrual problems and gynecologic problem check list. RESULT: Many women have experienced menstrual cycle change during the past year. There was a significant difference in general health, menstrual regularity, reproductive health and prenatal management by occupation type. 40.6 percent of the subjects have gynecological problems such as menstrual cycle change, perineal inflammation, irregular vaginal bleeding, amenorrhea, ovarian/uterine disease, infertility, or abortion. Prenatal care was received in only 28.5% of the total subjects. In addition, 16.3% answered they had experienced low birth weight babies. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that working woman have changes in menstruation cycle and in reproductive health status. Therefore, we suggest that some occupational characteristics may affect subject's reproductive health, these should be clear and avoided as much as possible.

Keyword

Health status; Reproductive health; Prenatal care; Married working woman

MeSH Terms

Amenorrhea
Female
Humans
Infant, Low Birth Weight
Infant, Newborn
Infertility
Inflammation
Informed Consent
Menstrual Cycle
Menstruation
Occupations
Parity
Prenatal Care
Surveys and Questionnaires
Reproductive Health*
Uterine Hemorrhage
Women, Working*