New study reviews eight centers that are working to improve rural postpartum care through innovation and collaboration

A new case study highlights eight community-focused postpartum care centers working to address the unique challenges of postpartum health for rural women. The review from the University of Minnesota looked at programs serving rural communities in Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina and Washington.

The goal of each center is to reduce maternal mortality rates, which are disproportionally high in rural areas. Each organization reviewed provides support to rural women and their families through access to obstetric care, mental health services, logistical support and social services during pregnancy and after childbirth.

Researchers cite one of their key findings: "Despite challenges related to transportation, stigma, isolation, and affordability, the organizations profiled here innovate, including in their program offerings and finance models, and collaborate with local and national partners to provide a variety of critical resources to postpartum families in their rural communities. . . . Each organization expressed the importance of stable, secure funding for their work."

In the study, each center is reviewed for rural community context. The Postpartum Resource Group in Whitefish, Montana, is an example. The area "is a mountainous community located near Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. The town is one of only three in the [Flathead] county, which occupies 5,098 square miles and is home to about 108,000 people. . . . ."

Each center in the study is reviewed by discussing its services. In Whitefish, researchers spoke with Brooke Jaszczak, the Network Director of Postpartum Resource Group who gave a program overview: "The Postpartum Resource Group is a non-hospital-affiliated, community-based postpartum mental health support group that was founded in 2016 by a midwife who created a support group with her patients. She recognized the need for such support based on both professional and personal experience, as she was also experiencing postpartum mental health challenges at the time."

The researchers write, "Their mission is two-fold: to provide support, education, and resources for mothers and their families who are experiencing postpartum mood disorders, and to educate and inform the community and providers about postpartum mood disorders."

A discussion of each center's challenges is also shared. "In the Flathead Valley, many local residents struggle to afford basics like housing, food, childcare, and health care due to rising costs. Located near Glacier National Park, the region experienced a population increase during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people moved there to work remotely. The service industry workers were priced out of housing and health care, and a rationing of care and preventive services resulted due to their limited resources. Furthermore, the population is very spread out. Between winter weather and poor driving conditions through the mountain passes, it can be difficult to access areas of the community, its resources, and clinicians."

Researchers hope their analysis will inform and encourage other communities looking to bridge the gaps in rural postpartum health.