Factors Associated with Maternal Readmission to Hospital, Attendance at Emergency Rooms or Visits to General Practitioners Within Three Months Postpartum

While most women remain healthy after giving birth to their baby, others experience complications that require medical attention or readmission to hospital. However, data on maternal attendance for medical care postpartum or readmission to hospital are not collected or reported routinely in many countries so the extent of health problems experienced remain unknown. Collecting data on the proportion of women who seek medical care in the early postpartum period may deepen understanding of risk factors, the consequences for women, their families and the maternity care system and, ultimately, help identify preventative strategies and processes. Objective To identify the factors associated with maternal rehospitalisation, attendance at emergency rooms or visits to general practitioners, the three main sources of medical services postpartum in Ireland, within the first three months postpartum. Study Design A prospective cohort study, embedded in a larger maternal health and morbidity study, with 1668 nulliparous women recruited from two maternity hospitals in Ireland. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to explore associations with postpartum rehospitalisation, emergency room attendance and general practitioner visits within the first three months postpartum, for maternal health-related reasons. Results Four percent (n = 66) of women were rehospitalised, 10% (n = 166) attended an emergency room, and 13.6% (n = 223) attended their general practitioner three or more times, regarding their own health. Women aged 24 years or less were more likely to attend their doctor (p = 0.02, AOR 2.13, 95% CI 1.08-4.21) compared to women aged 25-29 years, the reference category. Women who were obese or very obese were also more likely to attend their doctor three or more times (p = 0.01, AOR 1.79, 95% CI 1.15-2.79) and also more likely to attend an emergency room (p = 0.04, AOR 1.69, 95% CI 1.02-2.80) within three months postpartum, for their own health reasons. Conclusion Findings indicate that considerable proportions of women seek medical care from various healthcare sources postpartum. These medical visits are not routinely reported and point to the need for interventions regarding the care, management and services available to first-time mothers birthing in Ireland, with specific attention on preventative postpartum health.