Read on Twitter
After giving birth mothers still often hear “see you in 6 weeks and then see you next year” This has been the failed mantra of postpartum care for too long. It’s in those gaps that many mothers die. No longer an ‘OB patient’, not yet in ‘primary care’, just alone.
Continuous health insurance is not enough, there needs to be continuous concern and accountability for the health of mothers in the year postpartum.
It’s easy for OBs to say “not me” when asked who should be accountable for the 3 month overdose, 6 month cardiac arrest or 364 day suicide in a postpartum mother. The arbitrary 6 week line in the sand not only cuts off Medicaid, it cuts off concern and accountability.
As many work to extend Medicaid postpartum, we have to still push for the recognition of the #fourthtrimester and changing the ‘6 week mindset ‘ of postpartum care.
