Ovia Health, a family health benefits platform owned by Labcorp, recently announced it’s adding a postpartum care program to its platform.
Starting in October, patients that receive Ovia through their employer or health plan will be able to access a 12-month program that targets a range of potential issues that can arise during the postpartum period, according to a Sept. 18 announcement. The new offerings will be available to Ovia members at no additional cost, according to Leslie Saltzman, chief medical officer.
Why postpartum benefits? New mothers are particularly vulnerable to health complications during the period after they give birth, Saltzman told HR Brew. Some two-thirds of pregnancy-related deaths in the US occur during the postpartum period, according to an estimate from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Recognizing how critical healthcare can be during the postpartum period, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists now recommends patients be treated on an ongoing basis, rather than with one single follow-up appointment after they give birth. Still, it can be hard for patients to make it to their postpartum appointments, as most US women don’t receive 12 weeks of paid family leave, Saltzman said.
On top of the fact postpartum patients may struggle to access care, they’re also susceptible to develop long-term complications such as pelvic-floor dysfunction, back pain, and mental health disorders.
“So many people are not aware of this, and they don't get the right follow up, testing and support and treatment…and so we want to change that,” she said. The idea behind the program is to give patients a framework to “look out for and understand and know where to go,” and “what to expect.”
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How the program will work. Ovia members who are postpartum will be automatically enrolled in the new year-long program, which will be personalized based on conditions such as whether a patient had a C-section, or developed gestational diabetes, for example. Members will have the ability to report their symptoms, and the Ovia app will flag any issues that merit further consultation with a healthcare provider, she said.
The postpartum program will operate largely as a digital offering, with care advocates and health coaches specializing in issues such as sleep or lactation available to speak with members via messaging or by video or telephone. If additional support is necessary, Ovia will work to find members a local provider in their healthcare network.
Employers are more likely to cover maternity care or paid family leave than they are to cover postpartum care/support, according to a 2023 survey of US employees by consulting firm Mercer. While 39% of employees surveyed said postpartum benefits would be helpful to them or their family, only 30% reported that their employer offered such perks.
Saltzman cited the high estimated costs of absenteeism, turnover, and lost productivity due to untreated conditions such as postpartum depression, as a reason employers should take a closer look at postpartum care, so that employees are “able to be most productive and stay in their positions longer term.”