The role of reproductive variables, anxiety, physical activity, on the sleep quality of lactating women referring to health care centers of Zanjan-Iran

Background: Mothers in the postpartum period experiences a change in sleep pattern and loss of sleep duration. In the meantime, factors can cause irregular sleep patterns and decreased sleep quality. Objectives: The aim of this study was investigating the factors of fertility, anxiety and physical activity on the sleep quality of the lactating women visiting healthcare centers in Zanjan, Iran. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out from 2018 to 2019 on 380 women aged 14-45 years referred Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital in Zanjan and its affiliated clinics who were maximally 6 months postpartum and selected by convenience sampling method. The measuring tools used in this study included Petersburg Sleep Quality Questionnaire, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and a checklist containing demographic-fertility. Data were analyzed through SPSS software using descriptive and analytical tests (t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Chi-square). The statistical significance level was considered as p