Out-of-hospital health care: innovation and excellence for the new century

Community postpartum care needs assessment and systems development for low income families

Decreased lengths of stay for U.S. childbirth hospitalization, infant morbidities, repeat adolescent pregnancies, and high no-show rates for postpartum visits among disadvantaged populations suggest barriers to continuity of maternity care. Findings of a survey of maternity health professionals (N = 78) providing postpartum case management with an urban Healthy Start project indicated less tracking and follow-up for postpartum care as compared to prenatal care as well as maternal postpartum health education, social support, and environmental needs. Recommendations included: (a) earlier timing of postpartum visit, (b) community care sites and home visiting, (c) coordinated postpartum maternal and infant care, and (d) increased postpartum psychosocial and environmental services.