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Most women use postpartum primary care, focus on preconception

Following pregnancy, most women make use of the obstetric postpartum visit and related primary care, focusing on preconception health care, according to data presented at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting.

The researchers, Tiffany Blake-Lamb, MD, MSc, of Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, and colleagues, added that a community-based care delivery model may help women make better use of primary care visits after pregnancy.

To analyze the use of postpartum care among women at an academic medical center and affiliated community health centers, the researchers examined encounter data for women who received prenatal care and gave birth from 2006 to 2010. The researchers focused on health care visits within 2 months after delivery. They also reviewed data from women who enrolled in hospital-affiliated primary care practices prior to delivery to examine primary care use in the 2 years following delivery.

The researchers reviewed data from 8,749 women receiving prenatal care at an academic center and 4,439 women at affiliated health centers.

According to the researchers, 86% of women at the academic centers, and 79% of those in affiliated health centers, returned for an obstetric postpartum visit (P < .0001) during the initial 2 months after delivery. Among the 3,743 women in an academic center with previously established primary care, 79% sought primary care services in the 2 years after delivery, as did 84% of the 2,034 women in affiliated health centers (P < .0001). In addition, 71% and 74%, respectively, sought out other outpatient services (P = .019) during that time. Increasing age, having a chronic health condition and accessing care at a community health center were associated with an increased likelihood of using primary care after pregnancy. – by Jason Laday

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.

Reference:

Blake-Lamb T, et al. Postpartum health care utilization at an academic center and affiliated community health centers. Presented at: The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting; May 14 to 17, 2016; Washington, D.C.