Better Postpartum Care by 2030
We can improve maternal health in this country.
By 2030, women will have access to the postpartum coverage and benefits that they need for a full year following their pregnancy. This targeted change is possible, yet to realize our vision we need your help.
The 100 Weeks Project
Maternal health transcends the traditional 40-week marker.
It doesn’t capture the conscious choice to have a baby. Nor the pain of trying, but not being able to conceive. It can’t possibly recognize the anxiety that creeps up knowing the mortality rates for mothers of color and the fear of bringing a child into this world. Forty weeks doesn’t consider the doubts and questions – is her doctor giving her the highest level of care she needs, or ignoring her pain? And after the baby is born, forty weeks doesn’t capture the nearly endless streams of worries and questions in the weeks and months that follow: Should I be feeling this way? Is it okay for me to reach out to my doctor with these questions or is their job done? How much will that cost?
Forty weeks doesn’t capture the time before getting pregnant, the experiences during pregnancy, labor and delivery, nor the time after giving birth.
The Goal
What Happens to a New Mom After Giving Birth?
Our health care system isn’t set up to support postpartum care: health care coverage is fragmented and there is no systematic effort underway to ensure women are getting the care they need after pregnancy. Through our work, we aim to create solutions that ensure every pregnant woman has access to and coverage of postpartum care services regardless of health care coverage.
Home
home
Journey Map
Journey map
State of Postpartum care
Employer impact Collaborative
employer impact Collaborative
resources
Resources
The 100 Weeks Project is United States of Care's groundbreaking initiative dedicated to revolutionizing postpartum care over the next five years. This ambitious program aims to ensure every new mother receives the essential care and support she needs during the critical postpartum period (Up to one year after pregnancy).
takes into account a mother’s entire pregnancy journey, inclusive of the postpartum period, so that we can begin to see movement on this country’s dismal maternal mortality rates.
Vision for Postpartum Care
United States of Care
coming soon...
State of Postpartum Care
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Access to Postpartum Information
Data availability for Maternal Mental Health
Focus population - 1,143,118 OBGYNs, nurses & midwives specializing in obstetrics or neonatal care (demographic data by state)1 1140 Doula counts (by state)2 17 Number of certified lactation consultant (by state)3 179 Total number of Perinatal health workers 1336 Number of Perinatal health workers per 10,000 women age 15-49 12
Alabama
via Perinatal Health Workers
Diagnosed w/PPD illness - 18.%PPD screening at prenatal visit - N/APPD screening postpartum visit - N/A
We envision a health care system where postpartum women receive personalized care, comprehensive care, and understandable care that empowers them to have a joyful postpartum experience.
Our vision, informed by listening sessions with women, research, and expert discussions, outlines the essential components of postpartum care that every woman should receive, regardless of her insurance coverage. This vision is ambitious, yet it focuses on actionable changes within the health care system, providing a clear path to improved outcomes for postpartum women nationwide.
The Current Challenges
Despite the availability of services like doulas and home visits, many women struggle to access them due to cost, coverage gaps, and lack of awareness. Our comprehensive vision focuses on providing personalized, whole-person care to address physical, mental, and social needs during the postpartum period.
Download the Vision for Postpartum Care
executive summary
Checklist
Ongoing Provider Visits
Interdisciplinary Care Team
Postpartum Data Collection
Social Determinants of Health
Comprehensive Screenings Linked to Provider Referrals
Bring Care Home to Meet Women Where They Are
Full Range Contraceptive Resources
Oral Health
Programs Fostering Community
Breastfeeding Support
Postpartum Care Plans
By offering a clear, actionable roadmap, we aim to improve outcomes and experiences for postpartum women nationwide.
ISSUE BRIEF
Postpartum Care Insights, Experiences, and Bright Spots
The postpartum period is a critical chapter in the maternal health journey, impacting a woman’s1 health, well-being, and overall experience.
See More
Highlighting “Bright Spots” to Address Gaps in Maternal Health
Throughout 2023, USofCare engaged in conversations with Black women and other women of color to gather insights into the challenges they faced during their pregnancy journey, as well as what their ideal journey looked like.
Trends in Maternal Health “Bright Spots”
Increased awareness of racial disparities has prompted many states and organizations to implement programs to improve maternal health outcomes for Black women.
Birthing Bias: What We’ve Learned from Women of Color About Giving Birth in the U.S.
With the Black maternal mortality crisis continuing and health outcomes for women of color throughout the birthing experience still lagging behind those of white women, we leaned in on this issue and listened to the maternal health experiences of women of color across the nation.
USofCare’s Listening Work on Maternal Health: Understanding the Pregnancy Experience of Women of Color
As we search for solutions to the maternal health crisis, we must center the voices of people affected most. By engaging in conversations with women of color about their maternal health experiences, we uncovered crucial insights into challenges within our current maternal health care system, and how we might make it right
Black Maternal Health: The Disparity in Outcomes, Insights From Our Listening Work, and How We Can Find Solutions
With a bipartisan majority of Americans supporting improvements in maternal and newborn care and a robust advocacy network highlighting the impact this inequity has on our communities, the question remains — why has our health care system failed Black women so severely?
Maternal and Child Health Medicaid Policy Landscape & State Trends
USofCare presents our research on maternal health policy within Medicaid programs across all 50 states and DC; we focused specifically on Medicaid because it covers 45% of all births in the U.S.–playing such an important role in providing care to pregnant people.
100 Weeks of Care for Black Maternal Health Key Overarching Insights
Uncover the current Black maternity journey in the United States to better understand gaps and inequities in maternity health care across the full 100- week journey span.
USofCare is proud to share resources based on our listening work and research that uncover how we can ensure everyone has a joyous birthing experience and a joyful, safe, and supported pregnancy.
TOOLKIT
USofCare's Black postpartum social media toolkit.
The purpose of this document is to supply our partners with impactful social media copy. The copy in this toolkit can be used verbatim if desired.
POLICY SCAN
A Roadmap: Building a Path to Better Postpartum Care
Improving postpartum care requires a unified approach. We mapped 17 key national organizations to identify gaps, opportunities, and alignments, ensuring a more cohesive effort to enhance maternal health care.
PRESS RELEASE
United States of Care Launches Initiative to Expand Employer-based Coverage of Postpartum Care at Clinton Global Initiative
As part of the organization’s 100 Weeks Campaign, employers are called to commit to the “Vision for Postpartum Care” in order to better support women and strengthen the workforce.
REPORT
Our Vision establishes a comprehensive framework for the postpartum care that every women, regardless of her insurance coverage, should have access after pregnancy.
USofCare's Vision for Postpartum Care
BRIEF
The Role of U.S. Employers in the Postpartum Experience
Comprehensive benefits such as robust health care coverage, extended paid parental leave, lactation support, and child care assistance can alleviate many stressors faced by postpartum women, resulting in healthier families and more productive workplaces.
Exploring Partners' Views on the Postpartum Period
Including partners’ perspectives is essential to fully understanding the maternal health landscape, especially post-childbirth. Expanding support and services for non-birthing partners will create a more holistic postpartum experience for all.