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other·obstetrics and gynecology, public health, pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine·PMC10327352

Postpartum care needs assessment: women’s understanding of postpartum care, practices, barriers, and educational needs

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth · 5 authors, 4 centres

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TL;DR

A qualitative study using focus groups with 54 postpartum women in Ghana found that their understanding of postpartum care was primarily focused on baby care, with inadequate knowledge of maternal danger signs, poor mental health experiences, and significant barriers to accessing care.

Full summary

747 CHARS

Thematic analysis identified six key themes: postpartum care is perceived as baby-focused; women engage in various postpartum practices; knowledge of maternal danger signs is inadequate; barriers to care include cost, transport, and poor staff attitudes; women experience poor mental health related to financial stress and lack of support; and there is a strong need for postpartum education on maternal health. The findings highlight a critical gap in care for the mother's physical and mental health, which may lead to poor postpartum adjustment. Limitations include the small, context-specific sample and potential focus group dynamics influencing openness. The study suggests a need for interventions to educate women and improve care systems.

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

obstetrics and gynecology

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

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100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10327352

Postpartum care needs assessment: women’s understanding of postpartum care, practices, barriers, and educational needs

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

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ABSTRACT

Background Complications in the postpartum period pose substantial risks to women and can result in significant maternal morbidity and mortality. However, there is much less attention on postpartum care compared to pregnancy and childbirth. The goal of this study was to gather information on women’s knowledge of postpartum care and complications, recovery practices after childbirth, perceived barriers to receiving care during the postpartum period, and educational needs in four health centers. The findings can inform the development of appropriate curriculum and interventions for postnatal care education in similar settings. Methods A descriptive qualitative study design was employed. Eight focus group discussions were conducted among 54 postpartum women who delivered in four health centers in Sagnarigu District in Tamale, Ghana. Audio recordings of focus group data were transcribed and translated, and thematic analysis was conducted. Results There were six main themes that emerged from the focus group discussions: 1) baby focused postpartum care; 2) postpartum practices; 3) inadequate knowledge ofpostpartum danger signs; 4) barriers to accessing postpartum care 5) experiences of poor mental health; and 6) need for postpartum education. Conclusions Postpartum care for women in this study was primarily perceived as care of the baby post-delivery and missing key information on physical and mental health care for the mother. This can result in poor adjustment postpartum and critically, a lack of knowledge on danger signs for common causes of morbidity and mortality in the postpartum period. Future research needs to understand how to communicate important information on postpartum mental and physical health to better protect mothers in the region.

CITATION EXPORT

Yenupini Joyce Adams, Michelle Louise Miller, John Stephen Agbenyo et al.. Postpartum care needs assessment: women’s understanding of postpartum care, practices, barriers, and educational needs. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05813-0

AUTHORS

5 · 4 CENTRES

Yenupini Joyce Adams, Michelle Louise Miller, John Stephen Agbenyo, Ethel Emefa Ehla, Grace Anne Clinton

1grid.131063.60000 0001 2168 0066Eck Institute for Global Health, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN USA
2grid.257413.60000 0001 2287 3919Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN USA
3Savana Signatures, Tamale, Ghana
4grid.131063.60000 0001 2168 0066University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN USA