Postpartum Psychosocial Support

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between postpartum psychosocial support from healthcare providers and the rate of normal newborn readmissions (NNR), and whether there was a cost benefit to justify an intervention. Data was abstracted for all normal newborn births from 1999-2006 (N=14,786) at a community hospital in southern California. A cost benefit analysis was performed to analyze whether the financial benefits from the intervention. There was a significantly lower readmission rate of 1.0% (p=>.001) during the comprehensive time period compared to baseline (2.3%) or to the limited psychosocial support intervention time period (2.3%). While there was no significant difference in the average cost per newborn readmitted across the three study time periods. Providing comprehensive follow-up for new mothers in the postpartum period can reduce NNR's, thus lowering the average newborn readmission costs for those who receive psychosocial support. Follow up for new mothers should be an accepted norm rather than the exception in postpartum care, but NNR's should be considered the sole outcome in such programs.