Majority of US women agree there isn’t enough focus on postpartum healthcare

New research reveals significant shortcomings in the health information and support women in the US receive during pregnancy and postpartum.

The State of Maternal Health Report, conducted by The Harris Poll in April, showed that pregnant women in the US are being underserved when it comes to postpartum education and support.

Two in five women who have been pregnant (40 per cent) reported receiving insufficient (22 per cent) or no information/ resources at all (18 per cent) from their healthcare providers (HCPs) on the topic of breastfeeding, according to the survey.

The gap widens when it comes to mental health, with more than half of women who have been pregnant (53 per cent) likely under-supported as they did not receive any (40 per cent) or enough (13 per cent) information on postpartum depression.

“These statistics are not just numbers; they represent the real struggles of mothers nationwide, including myself, who feel neglected by the systems meant to support them,” said Christina Lojek, research manager at The Harris Poll.

“Fuelled by my own experiences, I chose to lead this study, and it solidifies how imperative it is that we improve postpartum support and education for mothers, who are clearly asking for and deserving of much better care.”

Lack of education on postpartum depression is even more distressing given how much more widespread this health issue is becoming. About one in eight women who are currently pregnant or have been pregnant (13 per cent) say they were diagnosed with postpartum depression by a medical professional – this jumps to 29 per cent among women ages 18-34, versus 10 per cent among women 35 and over.

The need for better postpartum care is also evident. Roughly one in four women who have been pregnant (24 per cent) rated their postpartum care as less than adequate.

Postpartum care appears to be on the decline, with over a third of women ages 18-34 who have been pregnant (36 per cent) citing subpar care, compared to just 22 per cent of women 35 and over.

Additionally, a substantial 74 per cent of all women agree that there isn’t enough focus on postpartum healthcare for mothers, and nearly two thirds (64 per cent) feel that mothers are often forgotten once the baby arrives.

Another significant way that women are being neglected postpartum is the lack of federal maternity leave in the US. The report highlighted a strong consensus on the importance of maternity leave, with nearly all women affirming its pivotal role in improving health outcomes.

Despite this, dissatisfaction with US maternity leave policies is evident, as a significant majority of women (73 per cent) consider the leave provided by most US employers insufficient. Nearly three in five women believe that the standard minimum length of paid maternity leave should be extended to at least 12 weeks, with about a quarter advocating for 20 weeks or more.

Lojek said: “This should be a wake-up call for all stakeholders involved in maternal healthcare to strengthen support structures and ensure mothers receive the care and information they need to safeguard the health and wellbeing of both mothers and their children.”