CFS/ME and FM - pregnancy, birth and childcare survey

About You

1. How old are you?   

2. Do you have CFS/ME or FM?

   CFS/ME
   FM

3. How long have you had CFS/ME or FM?    

4. How many children do you have?  

   Currently pregnant with first child
   One
   Two
   Three
   Four
   Five
   Six
   Seven
   Eight

5. How old are your children?

   Due date first child
   First child
   Second child
   Third child
   Fourth child
   Fifth child
   Sixth child
   Seventh child
   Eighth child

      

6. Are some of your children step-children, adopted or fostered?  If yes, please say which: (eg 4th child adopted) 
   

 

About your pregnancy

7. Which of the following statements best describes your decision to become pregnant whilst living with CFS/ME or FM?

   	First child	Second child	Third child	Fourth child	Fifth child	Sixth child	Seventh child	Eighth child
   Having CFS/ME or FM had no influence on my decision to become pregnant
   I became pregnant accidentally
   I became pregnant during a period of remission or my CFS/ME or FM
   I waited for the CFS/ME to improve but eventually gave up waiting and went ahead anyway
   CFS/ME or FM developed after I had had my children

   
   

8. Did CFS/ME or FM affect your ability to become pregnant? If yes, please describe:

   
   

9. Did you have IVF? If yes. please say how many times and how successful this was.

   
   

10. Did you have any pregnancy miscarriages or still births?  If yes, please say how many and when. 
    
     
    

11. How were your CFS/ME or FM symptoms at the time when you became pregnant with your child/children?  On the drop-down lists below, please select the number that best describes your symptoms at the time, where 1 = severe symptoms and 10 = no symptoms

    First pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Second pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Third pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Fourth pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Fifth pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Sixth pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Seventh pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)
    Eighth pregnancy	Select 1 (severe) 2 3 4 5 (Moderate) 6 7 8 9 10 (None)

     

12. During your pregnancy, how were your CFS/ME or FM symptoms in general, compared to before your pregnancy?  On the drop-down lists below, please select the number that best describes your symptoms at the time.

    First pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Second pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Third pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Fourth pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Fifth pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Sixth pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Seventh pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Eighth pregnancy	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better

     

13. During your pregnancy, did you have any periods of relapse?. If yes, please describe when and for how long:

    
    

14. Were you doing any paid or voluntary work while you were pregnant? If yes, please describe

    
    

15. Do you believe that CFS/ME or FM affected your pregnancy? If yes, please describe:

    
    

    About the birth

16. What type of birth did you have (please select all that apply)

    	First child	Second child	Third child	Fourth child	Fifth child	Sixth child	Seventh child	Eighth child
    Home birth
    Gas and air
    TENS
    Epidural
    Pethedine
    Water birth (birthing pool)
    Other (please state below)
    Elective caesarean (please state reason below)
    Emergency caesarean (please state reason below)

    Please add any additional information here:

     

17. Did CFS/ME or FM affect your labour or the type of birth you had? If yes, please describe

    
    

18. If you had your baby in a hospital, how many days did you stay in the hospital after the birth?

    First child
    Second child
    Third child
    Fourth child
    Fifth child
    Sixth child
    Seventh child
    Eighth child

    
    

19. Did CFS/ME or FM affect the length of time you stayed in hospital? If yes, please describe how

    
    

    Your health after the birth

20. After the birth of your child/children, how were your CFS/ME or FM symptoms in general, compared to during the pregnancy? In the following table, please tick the boxes that best describe your symptoms:

    First child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Second child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Third child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Fourth child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Fifth child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Sixth child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Seventh child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    Eighth child
    Just after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    6 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better
    12 months after the birth	Select Significantly worse Slightly worse Same Slightly better Significantly better

     

21. Apart from the CFS/ME or FM, did you have any additional or new health problems after the birth of your child/children? If yes, please describe

    
    

22. Did you have post-natal depression (PND) at any time after the birth of your child/children? If yes, please say when, how long (approximately) it lasted and what treatment you received

    
    

23. How long after the birth of your child/children did you have your first CFS/ME or FM relapse? Please state when and describe how long (approximately) it lasted

    
    

24. Do you have any ideas about what may have caused this relapse? If yes, please describe:

    
    

25. Were you able to do any paid or voluntary work after the birth? If yes, please describe:

    
    

    Feeding your baby

26. How did you feed your baby? (please tick):

    First child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Second child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Third child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Fourth child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Fifth child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Sixth child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Seventh child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)
    Eighth child	Select Exclusively breastfed Bottle (formula fed) Mixed feeding (breast and bottle)

    
    
27. Did CFS/ME or FM influence your choice of how you fed your baby? If yes, please describe:

    
    

28. Did feeding your baby affect your CFS/ME or FM in any way? If yes, please describe:

    
    

    Looking after your baby

29. Did CFS/ME or FM cause problems for you in caring for your baby? If yes, please describe

    
    

30. What were the most useful things that helped you to look after your baby? What tips would you share with other women?

    
    

    Help from other people

31. Did you have help from other people to look after you and/or your child, either just after the birth or during your child’s early years? If yes, who? (please tick all that apply):

    	First child	Second child	Third child	Fourth child	Fifth child	Sixth child	Seventh child	Eighth child
    Partner
    Family
    Friends
    Nursery Nurse
    Doula
    Nanny
    Mothers Help
    Childminder
    Cleaner
    Social services help
    Other (please say who)

       

32. Please describe the help you received from these people:

    
    

33. Approximately how many hours or days of help did you receive every week?

    
    

34. Was this about the right amount?

    Yes
    No
    Comments

     

35. Was there any other help that you would have liked to have but was not available? If yes, please describe:

    
    

36. Did you find healthcare professionals (eg doctor, midwife, specialist) helpful to you during your pregnancy, the birth and after the birth? If yes, please describe any additional or special treatment or care you received

    
    

37. Do you have any additional advice for other women with CFS/ME or FM who are thinking of having children or who already have children? Is there anything else that you would like to add that is not covered elsewhere in this survey?

    
    

    Optional questions

38. Your name *  

39. Your country

    
    

40. Would you be willing to take part in additional research, for example, by talking to a researcher about your pregnancy or experiences of childcare? (please tick)

    Yes
    No
    
    

41. If yes, how may we contact you

    E-mail
    Home phone number (with full area code)
    Street address
    Address (cont.)
    City
    County
    Post Code
    Country