RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Tackling inequality in maternal health: Beyond the postpartum
JF Future Healthcare Journal
JO Future Healthc J
FD Royal College of Physicians
SP 31
OP 35
DO 10.7861/fhj.2020-0275
VO 8
IS 1
A1 Kate Womersley
A1 Katherine Ripullone
A1 Jane Elizabeth Hirst
YR 2021
UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/8/1/31.abstract
AB Healthcare systems prioritise antenatal and intrapartum care over the postpartum period. This is reflected in clinical resource allocation and in research agendas. But from metabolic disease to mental health, many pregnancy-associated conditions significantly affect patients’ lifelong health. Women from black and ethnic minority backgrounds and lower socioeconomic groups are at greater risk of physical and psychiatric complications of pregnancy compared to white British women. Without sufficiently tailored and accessible education about risk factors, and robust mechanisms for follow-up beyond the traditional 6-week postpartum period, these inequalities are further entrenched.Identifying approaches to address the needs of these patient populations is not only the responsibility of obstetricians and midwives; improvement requires cooperation from healthcare professionals from a wide range of specialties. Healthcare systems must encourage data collection on the long-term effects of metabolic and psychiatric conditions after the postpartum, and s support research that results in evidence-based care for the neglected field of women's postpartum health.