PURPOSE:

The functional status after childbirth is the mother's readiness to assume infant care and to resume selfcare, household, social and community, and occupational activities following childbirth. The recovery of the preconceptional functional status takes longer time than physiological healing process. This study of women who gave birth after birth in order to determine the functional status and influencing factors was conducted as a descriptive and analytical.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The sampling group of this descriptive and analytical study comprises 200 women who were on the sixth week of postpartum period after giving term birth either vaginally or with C/S, and also had medical records in primary health center number 15 (n=100) and 18 (n=100) in Antalya city center. The data were obtained during house visits by face to face interviews with questionnaire and The Inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth (IFSAC).

FINDINGS:

In this study, age, educational level, family type, type of delivery, number of children and the planning status of the pregnancy turned out to be important factors affecting the functional status after childbirth. Baby care and household assistance, the functional status of women who returned earlier and was higher than the average score of DSFD. In general, women with postpartum DSFD'ının also increased over time, but six months later, still functional status of prenatal dönemedikleri was completely restored.

RESULTS:

Functional status of women after giving birth, which returns the physiological recovery time takes longer than six weeks. During this period they need to give a holistic approach to women postpartum care to comply more easily affected.

Keywords: Postpartum period, the functional status after childbirth, The Inventory of Functional Status After Childbirth.