The Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey (PAHS)

Columbia University Health Sciences, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY or ABSTRACT The year after birth, also known as the “fourth trimester”, is a growing focus of efforts to address high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States (U.S.). More than half of pregnancy-related deaths occur in the year after delivery and a significant share of women experience postpartum morbidity due to physical and mental health conditions. Yet, the determinants of postpartum wellbeing are poorly understood. This is largely because the fourth trimester has not been the focus of maternal health research or data collection. To fill the significant gap in high quality, representative data on postpartum health and drive the development of evidence-based interventions, our multidisciplinary team developed a large-scale follow-up survey administered one year after birth in collaboration with six states and New York City: the Postpartum Assessment of Health Survey (PAHS). The 2020 PAHS captured postpartum health outcomes for women who gave birth in 2020. This proposed project leverages and builds on this first-of-its kind data collection effort to respond to the urgent need to improve postpartum health. Specifically, we will launch a new survey round following a 2024 birth cohort (data collected in 2025) to measure (1) maternal health outcomes in the postpartum year (overall and by maternal clinical and demographic characteristics), (2) maternal health care use and unmet health care needs in the year after birth and their relationship to postpartum health outcomes, and (3) social and economic outcomes (e.g. food security, housing quality, employment) and their relationship to postpartum health outcomes. Drawing on expertise from our interdisciplinary team of junior and senior investigators, and in collaboration with government partners, we will produce a highly valuable scientific resource and generate timely, rigorous findings to inform evidence-based interventions with the potential to improve population-level maternal health in the U.S.