Work

Change in Postpartum Visit and Contraception Rates Pre-COVID-19 to Post-Lockdown in Six U.S. Federally Qualified Health Centers

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Background:Postpartum care, including contraception, benefits maternal health and decreases mortality, which increased in the United States with COVID-19. Pandemic disruptions to postpartum health care access in vulnerable populations are not well understood. We utilize electronic health record (EHR) data for prenatal patients (n = 2,265) at six urban Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) from one year prepandemic (January 1, 2019) through one year after the first stay-at-home orders (“lockdown”) (March 31, 2021). Objective:We investigated (1) changes in rates of postpartum visit (PPV) and postpartum contraception receipt in the post-lockdown versus prepandemic periods and (2) characteristics predictive of differential changes in PPV and contraception rates. Materials and Methods:Visit and prescription records from EHR were used to classify if patients received PPV and most/moderately effective contraception within 60 days postpartum, analyzed separately and as a composite variable: PPV and contraception, PPV only, or no PPV. Risk differences comparing post-lockdown with pre-COVID-19 pandemic were estimated using binomial regression and generalized logistic regression models adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, language, and clinical site. Effect modification by sociodemographic and clinical covariates was examined. Results:Total patient volume fell 21% in the post-lockdown versus pre-COVID-19 period. Rates of PPV decreased in absolute terms by 9.6 (95% confidence interval: −13.6, −5.6) and contraception by 8.1 (−13.3, −2.8) percentage points. After adjustment, PPV and contraception decreased by 9.3 percentage points (−13.1, −5.4), while PPV only was stable (−0.4 [−4.3, 3.6]). Conclusions:These findings suggest a substantial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on postpartum care in FQHCs and community health centers. Supply and demand drivers require further examination to inform strategies to improve postpartum care access and subsequent maternal health outcomes.

Source: Journal of Women s Health

DOI: 10.1089/jwh.2024.0691