The quality of postpartum recovery and its relationship with childbirth experience among Iranian women: A cross-sectional study

The quality of postpartum recovery is a complex process influenced by various multidimensional factors. This study aimed to assess the quality of postpartum recovery and its association with childbirth experience among postpartum women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 408 postpartum women in Tabriz, Iran, between 2024 and 2025. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected through validated instruments, including a socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics questionnaire, the Obstetric Quality of Recovery-10 (ObsQoR-10), and the Questionnaire for Assessing the Childbirth Experience (QACE). To assess the association between quality of postpartum recovery and childbirth experience, Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used for bivariate analysis, and a General Linear Model (GLM) was applied for multivariate analysis, adjusting for demographic and obstetric variables. The mean (SD) score quality of postpartum recovery was 56.7 (25.4) from the obtainable score range of 0 to 100, and the mean (SD) score of childbirth experience was 1.9 (0.72) from the obtainable score range of 1 to 4. A significant negative correlation was observed between postpartum recovery quality and childbirth experience (r = -0.6, p < 0.001). The results of the GLM indicated that with increasing childbirth experience scores (the high score indicating worse childbirth experience), the mean postpartum recovery score significantly decreased (β = -7.41, 95%CI: −8.3 to −6.5, p = 0.001). The findings indicate that negative childbirth experiences are associated with reduced postpartum recovery. It is recommended that strategies aimed at improving the childbirth experience be implemented for all women.