Study Identifies 5 Key Factors Influencing Well-being of High-Risk Mothers, Proves Effectiveness of Breastfeeding Education

The proportion of high-risk pregnancies, including those of mothers aged 35 and over and premature births, is increasing annually. Pregnant women admitted to the Maternal-Fetal Intensive Care Unit (MFICU) are exposed to physical and psychological stress, which threatens healthy childbirth and postpartum care.

In response, researchers from Samsung Medical Center and Korea University Anam Hospital have published study results that identify five factors influencing the well-being of high-risk pregnant women and demonstrate the effectiveness of tailored breastfeeding education.

Nurse Kim Young-yoon from Samsung Medical Center presented the findings of her study, 'Factors Affecting the Well-being of High-Risk Pregnant Women.' The study found that the average well-being score among 123 high-risk pregnant women was 56 out of 100. The five key factors determining their well-being were: history of premature birth, physical discomfort, fetal attachment, stress, and spousal support.

A research team led by Nurse Hong Mi-yeon from Korea University Anam Hospital conducted a study involving 60 pregnant women admitted to the MFICU. The intervention group, which received breastfeeding education, showed a statistically significant increase in breastfeeding knowledge scores compared to the control group. The breastfeeding initiation rate on the 10th day postpartum was 71.4% for the intervention group and 32% for the control group.