In the United States, a pregnant woman receives extensive medical attention. Regular monitoring includes blood tests, glucose checks, and tracking of weight and blood pressure. She has frequent doctor visits, increasing in regularity until childbirth.

After childbirth, medical support often diminishes rapidly. As a new mother and a medical professional, I experienced this firsthand. Despite being a year into motherhood, I struggle with a body changed by pregnancy. A significant tear during delivery led to months of urinary incontinence. My abdominal muscles, separated by pregnancy, have yet to heal fully, making even simple actions like lifting my baby difficult.

Medical support was scarce. My obstetric specialist discharged me six weeks postpartum. The general OB clinic was too busy to accept new postpartum cases. My primary care doctor indicated postpartum recovery was not within her specialization. This forced me to seek help on my own by researching symptoms, contacting pelvic floor therapists, and managing referrals.

Although I have extensive resources, including good insurance, paid leave, and access to healthcare systems, I found no single healthcare provider to oversee my postpartum recovery. Our current obstetric care approach views postpartum recovery as a brief phase. Initial postpartum care is limited to a few weeks after delivery, defined by a clinic visit between three to six weeks.

Insurance reimbursement follows this model, bundling prenatal, delivery, and initial postpartum care into one payment. While recovery may take months, the care system limits support over that period. The American Medical Association plans to change this by introducing separate billing codes for each service. However, this might not solve the core issue, as, beyond early postpartum weeks, no one takes responsibility for the mother’s ongoing recovery and health.

Infants receive over seven pediatric visits in their first year. In contrast, a mother’s postpartum care depends on encountering complications. The disparity highlights the gaps in postpartum healthcare support for mothers.