How maternal morbidities impact women’s quality of life during pregnancy and postpartum in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia: A qualitative study

Maternal morbidities present a major burden to the health and well-being of childbearing women. However, their impacts on women’s functional health are not well understood. This work aims to describe how maternal morbidities affect women’s quality of life (QoL) in pregnancy and the postpartum period . This qualitative study involved 118 pregnant and 135 postpartum women at six study sites in Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, Pakistan, and India. Data were collected between December 2023 and June 2024. Participants were selected via purposive sampling, with consideration of age, trimester, and time since delivery. A total of 23 focus group discussions with pregnant and late postpartum (≥6 months) participants and 48 in-depth interviews with early postpartum (≤6 weeks) participants were conducted using semi-structured guides. Data were analyzed using a collaborative, inductive, thematic approach. Four overarching themes were identified and were cross-cutting irrespective of continent or country: (1) physical and emotional challenges pose a barrier to daily activities; (2) lack of social support detracts from women’s QoL; (3) receipt of social support mitigates adverse impacts of maternal morbidities on QoL; and (4) economic challenges exacerbate declines in women’s QoL during pregnancy and postpartum. Physical and emotional morbidities related to childbearing severely limited women’s ability to complete daily tasks and adversely impacted their perceived QoL. Social and financial support from the baby’s father, family and/or in-laws, community members, and healthcare providers are important to mitigate the impacts of pregnancy and postpartum challenges on women’s health and well-being.