Understanding the Postpartum Cesarean Pain Experience Among Individuals With Publicly Funded Insurance: A Qualitative Investigation

INTRODUCTION

Pain is the most common postpartum concern and has been associated with adverse outcomes, such as difficulty with neonatal bonding, postpartum depression, and persistent pain. Furthermore, racial and ethnic disparities in the management of postpartum pain are well described. Despite this, less is known regarding patients' lived experiences regrading postpartum pain. The purpose of this study was to assess patient experiences related to postpartum pain management after cesarean birth.

METHODS

This is a prospective qualitative study of patients' experiences with postpartum pain management after cesarean birth at a single large tertiary care center. Individuals were eligible if they had publicly funded prenatal care, were English or Spanish speaking, and underwent a cesarean birth. Purposive sampling was used to ensure a racially and ethnically diverse cohort. Participants underwent in-depth interviews using a semistructured interview guide at 2 time points: postpartum day 2 to 3 and 2 to 4 weeks after discharge. Interviews addressed perceptions and experiences of postpartum pain management and recovery. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

RESULTS

Of 49 participants, 40.8% identified as non-Hispanic Black and 40.8% as Hispanic. The majority (59.2%) had experienced a cesarean birth with a prior pregnancy. Thematic analysis yielded 2 overarching domains: (1) experience of pain after cesarean birth and (2) pain management and opioid use after cesarean birth. Themes related to the experience of pain included pain as a meaningful experience, pain not aligned with expectations, and limitations caused by pain. All participants discussed limitations caused by their pain, voicing frustration with pursuing activities of daily living, caring for home and family, caring for neonate, and impact on mood. Themes related to pain management and opioid use addressed a desire for nonpharmacologic pain management, positive and negative experiences using opioids, and hesitancy and perceived judgement regarding opioid use. Several participants described experiences of judgement regarding the request for opioids and needing stronger pain medications, such as oxycodone.

DISCUSSION

Understanding experiences regarding postpartum cesarean pain management and recovery is essential to improving patient-centered care. The experiences identified by this analysis highlight the need for individualized postpartum pain management, improved expectation counseling, and the expansion of multimodal pain management options.

Individuals' Experiences of Having an Unplanned Cesarean Birth: A Qualitative Analysis

OBJECTIVE

 The experience of an unplanned cesarean birth may be a risk factor for mood disorders and other challenges in the postpartum period, yet qualitative data on the patient experience are limited. We sought to understand individuals' experiences of having an unplanned cesarean birth.

STUDY DESIGN

 This was a secondary analysis of a prospective qualitative investigation among low-income postpartum individuals at a single-, tertiary-care center in which the primary aim was to evaluate patients' postpartum pain experience after a cesarean birth. Participants completed a 60-minute face-to-face interview on postpartum days 2 to 3. Only participants who labored prior to their cesarean birth were included in this analysis. Transcripts were analyzed by two separate authors using the constant comparative method. Themes are illustrated using direct quotes.

RESULTS

 A total of 22 individuals were included in this analysis; the majority (n=16, 72.7%) experienced a primary cesarean birth. Over half (n=12, 54.5%) identified as Hispanic and one-third (n=7, 31.8%) identified as non-Hispanic Black race and ethnicity. Four themes regarding the experience of a cesarean birth after labor were identified, including feelings of anguish, belief that vaginal birth is "normal," poor experiences with care teams, and feelings of self-efficacy. Subthemes were identified and outlined.

CONCLUSION

 In this cohort, individuals who experienced an unplanned cesarean birth after labor expressed feelings of self-blame, failure, and mistrust. Given the association of unplanned cesarean birth with mood disorders in the postpartum period, efforts to enhance communication and support may offer a means of improving individual experiences.

KEY POINTS

· In this cohort, many individuals expressed negative feelings after an unplanned cesarean birth.. · Conversely, positive themes related to feelings of self-efficacy were identified.. · Efforts to enhance communication and support after an unplanned cesarean birth are warranted..

SweetMama: Usability Assessment of a Novel Mobile Application Among Low-Income Pregnant People to Assist With Diabetes Management and Support

Background

Mobile health tools may be effective strategies to improve engagement, education, and diabetes-related health during pregnancy. We developed SweetMama, a patient-centered, interactive mobile application (app) designed to support and educate low-income pregnant people with diabetes. Our objective was to evaluate the SweetMama user experience and acceptability.

Methods

SweetMama is a mobile app with static and dynamic features. Static features include a customized homepage and resource library. Dynamic features include delivery of a theory-driven diabetes-specific curriculum via 1) motivational, tip, and goal-setting messages aligning with treatment and gestational age; 2) appointment reminders; and 3) ability to mark content as "favorite." In this usability assessment, low-income pregnant people with gestational or type 2 diabetes used SweetMama for 2 weeks. Participants provided qualitative feedback (via interviews) and quantitative feedback (via validated usability/satisfaction measures) on their experience. User analytic data detailed the duration and type of interactions users had with SweetMama.

Results

Of 24 individuals enrolled, 23 used SweetMama and 22 completed exit interviews. Participants were mostly non-Hispanic Black (46%) or Hispanic (38%) individuals. Over the 14-day period, users accessed SweetMama frequently (median number of log-ins 8 [interquartile range 6-10]), for a median of 20.5 total minutes, and engaged all features. A majority (66.7%) rated SweetMama as having moderate or high usability. Participants emphasized design and technical strengths and beneficial effects on diabetes self-management and also identified limitations of the user experience.

Conclusion

Pregnant people with diabetes found SweetMama to be user-friendly, informative, and engaging. Future work must study its feasibility for use throughout pregnancy and its efficacy to improve perinatal outcomes.

The Stress of Parenting in the Postpartum Period During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic produced a major shift in parental roles, which disproportionally exacerbated existing challenges for low-income new parents. Our objective was to identify pandemic-related parenting challenges experienced by low-income postpartum individuals in the context of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Semistructured interviews with 40 low-income postpartum individuals were conducted within 10 weeks after giving birth in April 2020-June 2020. Interviews addressed maternal health and well-being, parental stress, including COVID-related barriers to providing for children, and access to essential services. Interview themes were developed using the constant comparative method.

Results

Half (n = 20) the participants identified as non-Hispanic Black and 38% (n = 15) as Hispanic; 75% (n = 30) were parents of multiple children. Parenting-related themes included challenges of parenting multiple children, barriers to maintaining self-care, and novel barriers to providing for children. Participants discussed handling new roles as educators, struggles with entertaining, allocating time among children, and effects of the pandemic on older children. Participants frequently described their lack of alone time, changes in self-care and coping strategies due to continuous parenting, and effects on maternal mental health like increased anxiety. Many participants reported lack of communal support, financial stress, and difficulty accessing services.

Conclusions

New burdens introduced by the pandemic challenged low-income individuals' health and well-being. Understanding these psychosocial stressors and developing interventions to ameliorate these burdens may be key to promoting family health during difficult times; one potential solution for preventing postpartum depression is offering continual social services. Clinical Trial No.: NCT03922334.

Optimizing Engagement in an mHealth Intervention for Diabetes Support During Pregnancy: the Role of Baseline Patient Health and Behavioral Characteristics

BACKGROUND

Mobile health (mHealth) technology that addresses diabetes mellitus in pregnancy has the potential to improve maternal and child health while diminishing socioeconomic and racial disparities. Little is known about health literacy, electronic health literacy, or patient characteristics that contribute to increased mHealth use. In this pilot study, we aimed to examine patient factors associated with user engagement with a novel app for diabetes support during pregnancy.

METHOD

Low-income pregnant individuals with gestational or type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited for a 2-week usability assessment of a novel mHealth smartphone application, "SweetMama," designed to improve diabetes care. This analysis of user characteristics was a pilot assessment of data from the usability study phase. Participants completed assessments of patient health literacy, electronic health literacy, diabetes self-efficacy, and activation. User metrics (eg, sessions and total duration of use) were evaluated by participant characteristics. Descriptive analyses were conducted to assess outcomes with respect to patient's clinical history, health literacy, electronic health literacy, diabetes self-efficacy, and activation.

RESULTS

Twenty-two diverse, low-income pregnant patients with either gestational or type 2 diabetes engaged with SweetMama for 14 days. Participants with gestational diabetes had greater mean minutes of use per session and mean total duration of use than those with type 2 diabetes. Participants with greater electronic health literacy, lower patient activation, and greater self-efficacy demonstrated greater total duration of use. No user metrics differed significantly by participant general health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this pilot study suggest engagement with a novel mHealth app for diabetes support during pregnancy varied by baseline behavioral and clinical characteristics. Results could indicate that digital health literacy better differentiates engagement patterns than general health literacy.

Getting to Zero: A Demonstration Project of Partner HIV Testing in the Prenatal Setting in Chicago, Illinois

Women who experience HIV seroconversion during pregnancy are missed during early routine pregnancy HIV screening and are at high risk of perinatal HIV transmission. Male partner HIV testing during routine prenatal care may be an effective primary prevention strategy by identifying women at risk of seroconversion and mitigating their risk. Our objective was to assess interest in and uptake of male partner HIV testing services offered during prenatal care. This demonstration project included all pregnant, English-speaking, HIV-negative women receiving publicly funded prenatal care in an urban hospital-based practice located in a high HIV prevalence area. Women were offered free HIV screening for their male sexual partners. From April 2017 to June 2018, enrolled women completed surveys on social demographics, medical access characteristics, and HIV testing history. Women were invited to bring their partners to a prenatal visit where HIV testing was offered to their male partners. Factors associated with women's interest in testing and completion of partner testing were assessed using bivariable and multivariable analyses. Of 392 women approached, 70% (N = 274) completed study surveys. Although the majority (76%, N = 200 of 264 respondents) of women desired their partner undergo HIV testing, testing was underutilized as only 18 (7%) male partners completed testing. While neither maternal characteristics nor male social or attitudinal factors were associated with interest in or completion of partner HIV testing, sensitivity analyses, performed with multiple imputation, demonstrated some association between interest and completion of partner testing and partner medical care access and utilization. In conclusion, although the majority of low-income women in an urban prenatal clinic expressed interest in having their partners undergo HIV testing, uptake of free partner HIV testing services was uncommon. A focused assessment of implementation and uptake barriers is needed to optimize partner testing and eliminate HIV transmission to mothers and their babies.

Patient and Provider Perspectives on a Novel Mobile Health Intervention for Low-Income Pregnant Women With Gestational or Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

BACKGROUND

Management of diabetes mellitus (DM) during pregnancy is burdensome given the intensity of required patient engagement and skills, especially for women with greater social disadvantage. Mobile health (mHealth) technology is a promising avenue for DM health promotion, but few evidence-based mHealth tools exist for pregnancy. Thus, we designed a theory-driven mHealth tool called SweetMama, and planned a priori to gather usability and acceptability feedback from patients and providers to ensure a user-centered design.

METHODS

In this qualitative assessment, we solicited patient and provider feedback on this novel educational and motivational mobile application for low-income pregnant women with type 2 or gestational DM. Patients and providers participated in separate focus groups. Participants shared feedback regarding SweetMama's visual appeal, architecture, and content. SweetMama modifications were made in an iterative manner. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative technique.

RESULTS

Patient (N = 16) and provider (N = 29) feedback was organized as positive feedback, negative feedback, or additional desired features. Within each category, themes addressed SweetMama visual features, information, or functional features. The majority of negative feedback was addressed and multiple desired features were implemented via iterative application development, resulting in a user-friendly, efficient, and potentially impactful mHealth app designed to support the unique needs of this population.

CONCLUSIONS

SweetMama users had largely positive feedback about the mHealth tool's appeal, content, and functionality. Suggested improvements were incorporated in preparation for further evaluation steps, which include longitudinal usability testing, feasibility trials, and larger trials to determine the efficacy of SweetMama use for improving perinatal outcomes.

Short Communication: Communication Between Pregnant Women and Male Partners About HIV Testing in the United States

Male partner uptake of HIV testing during antenatal care is poor despite women's reported desire for partner testing. This qualitative study of HIV-negative pregnant women and their partners in a high HIV prevalence city in the United States assessed communication between partners about HIV testing. Facilitators and barriers of partner testing were identified. Women are the driving force behind couples' communication; however, male partner uptake is underutilized. A common barrier to male partner uptake is the concept of "negative by proxy," as well as male partner lack of follow-up for testing and nondisclosure of results. Future research is needed to assess specific barriers to male partner HIV testing as an approach to preventing perinatal HIV transmission.

Identifying Mobile Health Technology Experiences and Preferences of Low-Income Pregnant Women with Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Rapid expansion of mobile technology has resulted in the development of many mobile health ("mHealth") platforms for health monitoring and support. However, applicability, desirability, and extent of tailoring of these platforms for pregnant women, particularly in populations who experience the greatest health inequities-such as women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or those with greater socioeconomic barriers-remains unknown. The objective is to understand low-income pregnant women's experiences and preferences for mHealth tools to support DM health and improve DM self-management during pregnancy.

METHODS

Low-income pregnant and postpartum women were included in individual interviews or focus groups; women with type 2 DM, gestational DM, or no DM were included. Analysis was performed with the constant comparison method.

RESULTS

In this population of 45 (N=37 with DM) low-income, largely minority, pregnant and postpartum women, 100% reported access to smartphones and prior experience with apps. Interest in mHealth to support health and engagement during pregnancy was high. Preferences for general mHealth features included education that reduces uncertainty, support communities, visualizing progress, convenient access to information, and support for better management of pregnancy-related tasks. Preferred design elements included personalization, interactive features, and integrated graphics. Women with DM expressed multiple additional DM-specific needs, including support tools for DM self-management and self-regulation tasks.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant and postpartum women, especially those with DM, desire mHealth technology to support engagement and to adapt lifestyle guidelines and treatment requirements for a healthy pregnancy. Further work to develop mHealth interventions tailored for target populations remains a key step in reducing health inequities and promoting access to evidence-based perinatal health interventions.

HIV knowledge and attitudes among minority pregnant patients and their non-pregnant partners in an urban hospital clinic

OBJECTIVE

HIV seroconversion during pregnancy disproportionately affects urban, minority pregnant individuals. In order to prevent perinatal HIV transmission, it is essential that individuals are aware of HIV risk factors and effective transmission prevention strategies are employed. Thus, we aimed to examine knowledge about HIV transmission and attitudes about HIV among low-income, minority pregnant individuals and their partners living in a high HIV prevalence area.

METHODS

In this qualitative study, pregnant participants were HIV-seronegative individuals receiving publicly-funded prenatal care in an urban academic center in the United States. Pregnant individuals and their partners were recruited to participate in a quality improvement program offering HIV testing to partners of pregnant people. Semi-structured guides were used to conduct individual interviews about participant sources of information about HIV, knowledge about transmission, and attitudes regarding those living with HIV. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method to determine themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

Of 51 participants, 29 were pregnant individuals and 22 were non-pregnant partners. We found that inaccurate knowledge about perinatal HIV transmission was prevalent. Sources of information about HIV included reputable literary information or educational experiences, broadcast media, and word-of-mouth sources. Participants held dichotomous perceptions of people living with HIV.

CONCLUSIONS

Among low-income, minority pregnant people and their partners in a high HIV prevalence area, inaccuracies and lack of knowledge about HIV transmission were common. Efforts to educate pregnant individuals and their partners about HIV and perinatal HIV transmission should address common misconceptions and use popular sources of information.

Health Care Providers' Utilization of and Perspectives on Mobile Health Technology for Diabetes and Pregnancy Support

OBJECTIVE

Mobile health (mHealth) technology can be an effective tool to deliver behavioral interventions to improve health outcomes for individuals with diabetes. However, there is limited evidence on mHealth for pregnant women managing diabetes or for the role of health care providers (HCPs) in delivering mHealth tools. To prepare for the development of a pregnancy-specific mHealth intervention for diabetes, we sought to understand HCPs' acceptance, utilization, and design recommendations for how mHealth technology can best be used to support the management of diabetes during pregnancy.

METHODS

Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with clinical HCPs (obstetricians, nurses, diabetes educators, dietitians, and lactation counselors) who care for low-income pregnant women with diabetes. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method.

RESULTS

Participants (n = 29) generated five themes and 14 subthemes. Knowledge and acceptance themes included utilization of mobile resources and barriers to HCPs' adoption. Knowledge of popular pregnancy applications (apps) dominated, while familiarity with and use of diabetes apps varied by profession and proximity to continued education. Technology adoption barriers included lack of credibility, dependence on Internet resources, and reliance on knowledge networks. Design themes addressed user-centered design, responsive and practical education, and clinical integration. Clinicians recommended patient-participatory design, customizable features, data-tracking features, motivational feedback, and bidirectional communication capabilities.

CONCLUSION

Although HCPs strongly embraced mHealth tools as an adjunct to obstetric care for women with diabetes, they also expressed limited knowledge and apprehension about patient engagement. HCP recommendations and concerns must critically inform the development of meaningful tools for this population.

What Are Patients Watching? A Quality and Content Evaluation of YouTube Videos About Gestational Diabetes. (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

People with gestational diabetes have enhanced learning requirements during pregnancy, and management of their disease often requires the translation of health information into new health behavior changes. Seeking information from the internet to augment learning from health professionals is becoming more common during pregnancy. YouTube is a popular free and accessible web-based resource, which may be particularly useful for individuals with low health literacy or other barriers to receiving high-quality health care; however, the quality and content of YouTube videos varies, and little is known about those covering gestational diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to systematically evaluate the quality, content, and reliability of YouTube videos about gestational diabetes.

METHODS

A systematic search of YouTube videos was conducted over the course of 1 week in April 2020 using the following keywords: "gestational diabetes," "gestational diabetes management," "gestational diabetes treatment," and "pregnancy and diabetes." The search results were displayed by relevance, replicating a default YouTube search attempt. The first 60 results from each keyword were reviewed (n=240). Exclusion criteria were videos unrelated to gestational diabetes, videos not in English, and those for which the full video was not available at the time of review. For each unique video, a gestational diabetes content score was used to rate video comprehensiveness and accuracy, and the DISCERN instrument, a validated metric to assess consumer health information, was used to evaluate the reliability of information presented. Videos were further categorized by quality: videos with DISCERN scores lower than 3 (out of 5) or a content score less than 4 (out of 7) were categorized as low quality, and all others were designated high quality. We performed descriptive analysis and compared video characteristics by source and quality rating.

RESULTS

For 115 unique videos, the mean content score (out of 7) was 3.5 (SD 2.0) , and the mean DISCERN score (out of 5) was 2.7 (SD 0.7), representing low to moderate information comprehensiveness and reliability respectively. Video sources were categorized as personal vlog (12/115, 10.4%), web-based education (37/115, 32.2%), medical (52/115, 45.2%), business or company (13/115, 11.3%), and media clip (1/115, 0.9%). DISCERN and content scores trended higher among medical and web-based education videos. The majority of videos (n=88) were categorized as low quality, while 27 videos were categorized as high quality. Video duration was longer for high-quality videos (P<.001); high- and low-quality videos otherwise had similar views and viewer interaction numbers.

CONCLUSIONS

Although high-quality videos about gestational diabetes exist, reliability, accuracy, and comprehensiveness were low overall, and higher quality was not associated with increased viewer interaction. It is important to acknowledge the limitations of this platform and to assist patients in accessing high quality content and differentiating the quality of information sources.

Patient Experience with Postpartum Pain Management in the Face of the Opioid Crisis

INTRODUCTION

Professional societies have urged providers to reduce opioid use for pain management. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to assess patient experiences related to postpartum pain management in an effort to better understand potential paths to achieve such a reduction.

METHODS

This is a planned secondary analysis of a prospective observational study of opioid use following birth. In the primary study, women who received opioids as inpatients were queried about their pain management, including questions about pain experience, pain satisfaction, perceived areas for practice improvement, and the opportunity to leave additional comments. Participants who were prescribed opioids upon discharge completed postdischarge surveys with a similar opportunity for qualitative input. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify themes and subthemes.

RESULTS

Of the 493 women enrolled in the primary analysis, 125 provided qualitative data. Three overarching themes regarding pain management were identified: positive experiences (n = 22), negative experiences (n = 19), and beliefs and preferences on opioid use and pain management (n = 28). Women with positive experiences reported satisfaction with timely pain medication administration and appreciation of open dialogue with their care team. In contrast, several negative experiences centered on tardy administration of pain medications, resulting in increased pain. Patients also perceived judgment, accusation, and excessive lecturing by staff when requesting opioid medications. Finally, participants expressed the necessity for opioids for postpartum pain management, as well as their desires for limiting opioid use, improved options for multimodal pain management, and increased communication with providers about pain regimens.

DISCUSSION

Understanding women's perspectives and experiences regarding postpartum pain control is essential to improving care. Amid growing research on the role of maternity care providers in addressing the opioid crisis, women's voices are rarely solicited. These findings stress the importance of open and frequent dialogue between patients and providers and a need for multimodal pain management options.

Health Care Providers' Perspectives on Barriers and Facilitators to Care for Low-Income Pregnant Women With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE | Treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes during pregnancy can improve maternal and neonatal outcomes; yet, self-care burdens for pregnant women with diabetes are high, particularly for low-income and minority women. Although prior studies have investigated patient-perceived barriers and facilitators to diabetes self-management during pregnancy, little work investigates the perspectives of health care providers (HCPs) on these factors. The objective of this study was to investigate HCPs' perspectives on patient barriers and facilitators to diabetes care during pregnancy. METHODS | In this qualitative investigation, focus groups were conducted using a semistructured interview guide designed to elicit HCPs' perceptions of patient barriers and facilitators to successful diabetes-related self-care. HCPs included physicians, nurses, health educators, and other personnel who care for low-income pregnant women with diabetes. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative technique to identify themes and subthemes, using the Social Ecological Model as a theoretical framework. RESULTS | Participants (n = 29) identified barriers and facilitators to women's achievement of optimal diabetes self-care according to six levels (environment, access, institution, interpersonal, knowledge, and individual). Example subthemes included inflexible work schedule, poor access to medication and supplies, overburdened clinic, perceived patient "policing," and low health literacy. Individual factors included self-efficacy, motivation, and engagement. HCPs identified barriers, but not facilitators, for each theme. CONCLUSION | HCPs described facilitators and barriers to diabetes care at all levels of the Social Ecological Model. These data can inform interventions to dismantle barriers patients face and thus create meaningful health care interventions to improve outcomes for low-income pregnant women with diabetes.

Attitudes towards male partner HIV testing among low-income, minority pregnant women and their partners

OBJECTIVE

Primary prevention of maternal HIV seroconversion requires knowledge of the HIV status of sexual partners, but testing rates, particularly among urban minority heterosexual males, remain low. This study was initiated to understand the attitudes of pregnant women and their partners surrounding partner HIV testing.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study of pregnant women receiving publicly-funded prenatal care in a large urban hospital located in a high HIV prevalence area and their partners. Participants underwent in-depth individual interviews about HIV testing. Semi-structured interview guides were used to elicit participant attitudes. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method to determine themes and subthemes; analysis was organized by whether participants desired or declined partner testing.

RESULTS

Of 51 participants, 29 were pregnant women and 22 were male partners of female participants. Reasons for desiring or declining HIV testing aligned within three major themes: risk perception, logistical considerations, and testing history. An individual's perception of risk included evaluations of fetal safety as well as partner autonomy and fidelity. Logistical considerations included cost, test availability, and male partner geographic location. Individuals' recent testing histories also influenced testing preferences. One cross-cutting theme was of the pregnant woman taking responsibility for family health, which could serve as a motivator to test or reason to decline.

CONCLUSION

Pregnant women are often the linchpin of prevention of HIV transmission in the family unit. These data inform strategies to engage pregnant women and their partners to improve implementation of partner HIV testing in the prenatal setting.

Barriers and Facilitators to Recurrent Preterm Birth Prevention among Low-Income Women: A Qualitative Study

OBJECTIVE

To examine patient perspectives on the experience of preterm birth (PTB) and recommended PTB prevention strategies, focusing on barriers to and facilitators of PTB prevention among low-income women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is an observational study using qualitative methodology to investigate barriers to and facilitators of recurrent PTB prevention among low-income pregnant and postpartum women. Participants were either (1) postpartum from an initial spontaneous PTB, (2) pregnant and receiving 17-α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17P), or (3) pregnant or postpartum and declined/discontinued 17P. Participants completed individual interviews, and transcripts were analyzed using modified grounded theory techniques.

RESULTS

Of 33 participants, the majority identified as non-Hispanic black (64%) or Hispanic (27%). Four facilitator themes included patient-centered environment, informed choice, social network, and motivation for a healthy family. Barriers included competing demands, resources, skepticism, and normalization. Three considerations, termed subjective influencers, could support women's decisions to use or decline 17P, including personal beliefs about one's body, the role of the fetus, and beliefs on interventionism.

CONCLUSION

The facilitators and barriers identified herein offer insight into the lived experiences of women at a risk of recurrent PTB. Future programs aimed at reducing PTB disparities may benefit from addressing low-income minority women's structural and social determinants of PTB prevention.