Table 2

Predictors of PPF: binary logistic regression

Fatigue at 10 daysFatigue at 1 monthFatigue at 3 months
OR (95% CI)OR (95% CI)OR (95% CI)
Maternal age (years)
 16–190.91 (0.55 to 1.51)0.64 (0.36 to 1.15)1.01 (0.45 to 2.24)
 20–240.62 (0.48 to 0.79)***0.54 (0.40 to 0.71)***0.44 (0.28 to 0.70)**
 25–290.91 (0.76 to 1.09)0.63 (0.52 to 0.77)***0.87 (0.66 to 1.14)
 30–341.00 (ref)
 35–391.00 (0.83 to 1.22)1.13 (0.92 to 1.39)1.04 (0.79 to 1.38)
 40+1.20 (0.86 to 1.66)1.39 (0.99 to 2.95)2.00 (1.34 to 2.98)**
Parity
 Primiparous1.00 (ref)
 Multiparous0.83 (0.71 to 0.97)*0.81 (0.68 to 0.97)*1.21 (0.95 to 1.54)
Left full-time education
 Aged 16 or more years1.00 (ref)
 Aged <16 years0.64 (0.52 to 0.78)***0.74 (0.59 to 0.93)*0.82 (0.60 to 1.13)
Mode of delivery
 SVD1.00 (ref)
 Instrumental1.23 (1.00 to 1.52)0.99 (0.79 to 1.25)0.87 (0.63 to 1.21)
 Planned CS1.03 (0.83 to 1.27)1.21 (0.96 to 1.52)1.30 (0.96 to 1.76)
 CS due to unforeseen problem1.06 (0.84 to 1.34)1.09 (0.85 to 1.41)1.06 (0.75 to 1.51)
Labour duration (min)†1.00 (1.00 to 1.00)*1.00 (1.00 to 0.00)*1.00 (1.00 to 1.00)**
Postnatal depression
 10 days2.08 (1.79 to 2.42)***1.65 (1.40 to 1.95)***1.24 (0.98 to 1.56)
 1 month1.27 (1.03 to 1.56)*2.13 (1.72 to 2.63)***1.28 (0.96 to 1.71)
 3 months1.17 (0.86 to 1.60)1.62 (1.18 to 2.23)**2.99 (2.13 to 4.21)***
Postnatal anxiety
 10 days2.49 (2.04 to 3.04)***1.36 (1.10 to 1.67)**1.13 (0.84 to 1.52)
 1 month1.28 (0.98 to 1.67)2.77 (2.13 to 3.61)***1.54 (1.09 to 2.18)*
 3 months0.87 (0.61 to 1.25)1.08 (0.76 to 2.55)2.42 (1.65 to 3.56)***
Postnatal sleep
 10 days1.05 (0.72 to 1.54)0.95 (0.64 to 1.41)0.80 (0.46 to 1.38)
 1 month1.39 (0.92 to 2.08)0.90 (0.58 to 2.38)0.95 (0.55 to 1.65)
 3 months1.04 (0.67 to 1.59)2.20 (1.43 to 4.38)***2.87 (1.80 to 4.60)***
PTSD
 10 days4.31 (2.88 to 6.45)***1.02 (0.70 to 1.48)0.79 (0.48 to 1.32)
 1 month0.78 (0.48 to 1.27)3.67 (2.27 to 9.92)***1.40 (0.79 to 2.48)
 3 months0.88 (0.48 to 1.61)0.61 (0.33 to 1.12)1.84 (1.00 to 3.38)*
Postnatal mental health problems0.93 (0.72 to 1.21)0.59 (0.44 to 0.79)***0.76 (0.53 to 1.09)
 
Infant feeding at 3 months
 Formula only1.00 (ref)
 Breast only1.06 (0.91 to 1.24)1.19 (1.00 to 1.42)1.38 (1.08 to 1.76)*
 Combined1.17 (0.95 to 1.45)1.33 (1.06 to 1.67)*1.73 (1.29 to 2.33)***
 Other0.30 (0.06 to 1.45)0.97 (0.21 to 7.50)0.59 (0.06 to 5.68)
Infant health poor at 3 months1.22 (1.00 to 1.49)1.14 (0.91 to 1.41)1.52 (1.15 to 2.00)*
  • NB: Only variables significant in earlier iterations of logistic regression included (see online supplementary appendix for a full list of variables).

  • *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001. 

  • †Duration of labour in minutes marginally positively associated with PPF.

  • CS, caesarean section; PPF, postpartum fatigue; PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder; ref, reference group; SVD, spontaneous vaginal delivery.