Ovia Health launches new postpartum support program
Ovia Health launches new postpartum support program
The 12-month program includes mental health support
Health benefits platform Ovia Health is expanding its women's health solutions to include a personalised, comprehensive Postpartum Experience.
The 12-month program, delivered to Ovia Health Plan and Employer members through the Ovia Health app, is designed to help women manage multiple aspects of the postpartum period through personalised recovery modes, symptom tracking and alerts, and mental health support.
Ovia Health has operated since 2012 and is part of global life sciences company Labcorp. It already offers 50+ clinical programs across fertility, pregnancy and parenthood.
Breaking down barriers
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) recommends postpartum care be treated as an ongoing process rather than a single doctor's visit. However, estimates suggest that a significant number of women do not attend even one postpartum appointment, in part due to access barriers like lack of health insurance, transportation and childcare.
Dr. Leslie Saltzman, Ovia's chief medical officer said:
"The postpartum period is a precarious time for women in the United States. Current standards of care provide insufficient support for women who may be suffering from postpartum complications such as high blood pressure, depression, infection, or pregnancy-associated conditions such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, all of which can have life-long implications.
“Ovia's Postpartum Experience is the first personalised, digital program designed to help new mothers manage the postpartum period by offering tools, resources and reminders to support their health journeys."
Key features and functionalities of the new program include:
Personalised recovery modes: Tools and resources that are tailored to each user's delivery type (e.g., vaginal delivery, c-section, VBAC), delivery complications, number of weeks/months postpartum and pregnancy risk factors to support women as they progress through pregnancy to postnatal recovery.
Symptom tracking and critical alerts: Daily logs that allow users to track symptoms and monitor risk factors for common conditions such as pelvic floor dysfunction or hypertensive disorders. In-app notifications help indicate a symptom, mood or health need that should be discussed with a care provider, such as shortness of breath or heavy bleeding.
Mental health support: Screening tools, data-tracking and health programs that are designed to address the social and emotional aspects of the postpartum period, such as postpartum depression, peri/postnatal anxiety, returning to work and financial health.