The United States continues to have the highest postpartum mortality rates among developed countries and two Indiana researchers want to change that.
Indiana University School of Medicine's David M. Haas, MD, the Robert A. Munsick Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, has been working with Yenupini Joyce Adams, PhD, BSN, global maternal research leader at the University of Notre Dame's Eck Institute for Global Health, to address postpartum research for several years. Haas and Adams, whose partnership is supported by the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, say the majority of maternal deaths happen after childbirth, when warning signs are missed and support is insufficient.
Their research collaboration, which shares how critical postpartum care is, was recently featured in a “Fighting For” segment that aired nationally Oct. 4 on NBC at halftime of the University of Notre Dame vs. Boise State University game at Notre Dame.
Through a grant funded by the Indiana CTSI in 2021, Adams established an innovative support model called Focused Postpartum Care (Focused-PPC), which provides women with follow-up visits with providers, education on postpartum symptoms and warning signs and various postpartum health topics. This model, which began in Ghana to improve health outcomes among high risk postpartum women, can be easily adaptable in local cities across the United States.
“There’s a lot of complications that can happen or show up unexpectedly after a mom delivers, such as severe bleeding, infections, mental health issues,” Adams said. She recommends that women receive postpartum care for up to one year after delivery, to monitor issues ranging from blood pressure to mental health.
“After having overwhelming success in West Africa," Adams said during the “Fighting For” segment. “I knew we need to implement this model of care in the U.S.”
Haas, who sees patients at Eskenazi Health, said that some women don’t get the care they need, even in cities such as Indianapolis and that it can be an even greater challenge where obstetrics care services are limited.
“Postpartum care is just as important as prenatal care,” Haas explains in the video. “It is important for people to understand that getting pregnant and then giving birth, while usually a wonderful experience, can be a dangerous thing. This researched approach with focusing maternal care on the postpartum time frame can be the difference between life and death.”
Haas adds that while some people may find the postpartum mortality rates to be shocking and unthinkable in a technologically advanced country, such as the United States, building awareness and providing a pathway for maternal health is worth fighting for.
