Pregnancy Care Ends Too Soon. How The Postpartum System Fails Mothers.

New Mother Holding Sleeping Baby Daughter In Nursery At Home getty

Pregnancy care in the United States consists of prenatal visits that are purposeful, recurrent, and often celebratory. Postpartum, however, the mother’s support system often drops precipitously. For many, especially first-time parents, the transition to parenthood is so disorienting that struggle feels inevitable. Without a structured network of care, mothers course physical, emotional, and social challenges alone, or with limited support, at a time meant for healing, not hardship.

“Most mothers receive one six-week visit after birth,” says Dr. Phindile Chowa, an emergency medicine physician, mother, and founder of EMCare2U , a postpartum care program in Atlanta. “Not because that’s when the body fully heals, but beca