Acute to Early Postpartum Care for PTs & OTs

Pelvic health providers have known the US maternal health crisis is real and growing for a years and everyday more people outside the pelvic specialty are realizing what the reality is for so many. Historically the standard of care after discharge from the hospital is a single MD follow-up at 6-weeks; however, approximately 50% of postpartum deaths will occur during this 0-6 week timeframe. In recognition of this reality, physician professional organizations have updated this recommendation to follow-up within the first three weeks and ongoing care during the fourth trimester in order to “optimize the health of women and infants”.

Physical and Occupational Therapists, are particularly skilled at assessing risk and monitoring for the most common causes of postpartum mortality and morbidity during daily activity, Lifestyle analysis, task analysis & modification, non-pharmacological pain and bowel/bladder management and tissue healing that can be brought to bear to address the disparities in the current postpartum care system to reduce morbidity and mortality while improving quality of life for new families. The care therapists can provide in the early postpartum time is life changing and even life-saving.

However traditionally pelvic training for therapists has been considered specialty training that only a small percentage of PTs & OTs pursue post university and has further been focused on care starting in an outpatient setting at least 6 weeks postpartum. This course is designed to fill this gap in therapists’ training by providing basic to advanced entry level training to the PT or OT wanting to provide care to the postpartum population starting within 24-72 hours post birth through the first 6 weeks across a variety of settings including in the acute hospital, at home, outpatient and virtually.