New postpartum support programme launched

Digital health platform Ovia Health by Labcorp is aiming to plug a gap for postpartum support in the US via a new programme.

It has launched the Postpartum Experience – a 12-month programme designed to help women manage multiple aspects of the postpartum period through personalised recovery modes, symptom tracking and alerts, and mental health support.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends postpartum care be treated as an ongoing process rather than a single doctor’s visit.

However, estimates suggest that a significant number of women do not attend even one postpartum appointment, in part due to access barriers like lack of health insurance, transportation and childcare.

Dr. Leslie Saltzman, Ovia’s chief medical officer, said: “The postpartum period is a precarious time for women in the United States. Current standards of care provide insufficient support for women who may be suffering from postpartum complications such as high blood pressure, depression, infection, or pregnancy-associated conditions such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, all of which can have life-long implications.

“Ovia’s Postpartum Experience is the first personalised, digital program designed to help new mothers manage the postpartum period by offering tools, resources and reminders to support their health journeys.”

The Postpartum Experience will be available to Ovia Health Plan and Employer members via the Ovia app beginning next month.

Ovia Health by Labcorp includes 50+ clinical programs aimed at improving health outcomes, preventing unnecessary healthcare costs, and increasing retention and return to work.

Labcorp is a global firm with more than 67,000 employees and clients in approximately 100 countries. It provides support for 84% of the new drugs and therapeutic products approved in 2023 by the FDA, and performed more than 600 million tests for patients around the world.