Postpartum Visit in Georgia

Georgia

The days and weeks after childbirth represent a period of significant physiological and psychological transition for new parents. At a postpartum visit, health care providers and patients may discuss: 

• Pregnancy and delivery complications.
• Concerns about infant care.
• Breastfeeding assistance.
• Mental health, including postpartum depression and anxiety.
• Sexual health and relationship development.
• Care referrals for preexisting or developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension.
• The transition to well-woman care.

Postpartum visits with a health care provider are recommended to ensure physical and mental wellness during recovery for mothers who have recently given birth.

Postpartum visits are more common among:

• Women ages 30-39 compared with women younger than 25. 
• White women compared with Black, American Indian and other race women.
• Women with health insurance compared with uninsured women.
• Women with higher educational attainment.
• Women who are married compared with those who are unmarried. 
• Women with adequate prenatal care compared with those who received intermediate or inadequate care.
• Women with a higher income or higher socioeconomic status.

A 2022 study reveals that intersecting variables like health insurance, geographic location and race and ethnicity create differences in postpartum care that lead to lower access to recommended care.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggests an initial assessment within the first three weeks of birth and a comprehensive well-woman visit no later than 12 weeks after birth, with ongoing care throughout as needed. Multiple visits may be recommended for women with complex medical problems such as pregnancy complications, postpartum depression, high blood pressure or other chronic conditions. 

Strategies to increase postpartum visits include:

• Discussing postpartum visits during prenatal care appointments.
• Scheduling postpartum visits during prenatal visits or before hospital discharge.
• Using technology to schedule reminders and stay in contact.
• Continuing care with the same provider across prenatal, delivery and postpartum visits. 
• Addressing barriers related to transportation and child care by offering assistance, home visits or alternate locations for appointments and flexible scheduling. 

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening adults for anxiety disorders, including those who are pregnant and postpartum and those without a history of anxiety. Providing postpartum depression screening guidelines to health care providers and connecting women with community resources can further improve postpartum care. 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Maternal & Child Health Initiative has published a resource on state-level strategies to improve the rate and content of postpartum visits among those enrolled in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Medicaid, which pays for approximately 40% of all births in the U.S., must cover postpartum care for at least the first 60 days after birth — which is less than the ACOG recommendation of 12 weeks (84 days). However, as of July 2026, nearly every state has expanded coverage to 12 months postpartum, increasing the care available to socioeconomically disadvantaged parents and families.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple pregnancy and childbirth objectives, including increasing the proportion of women who get screened for postpartum depression.

Danilack, Valery A., E. Christine Brousseau, Briana A. Paulo, Kristen A. Matteson, and Melissa A. Clark. “Characteristics of Women without a Postpartum Checkup among PRAMS Participants, 2009–2011.” Maternal and Child Health Journal 23, no. 7 (July 2019): 903–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-02716-x.

Interrante, Julia D., Lindsay K. Admon, Caitlin Carroll, Carrie Henning-Smith, Phoebe Chastain, and Katy B. Kozhimannil. “Association of Health Insurance, Geography, and Race and Ethnicity With Disparities in Receipt of Recommended Postpartum Care in the US.” JAMA Health Forum 3, no. 10 (October 14, 2022): e223292. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.3292.

Martin, Joyce A., Brady E. Hamilton, and Michelle J. K. Osterman. “Births in the United States, 2024,” July 24, 2025. https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174613.

Ranji, Usha, Ivette Gomez, and Alina Salganicoff. Expanding Postpartum Medicaid Coverage. Issue Brief. KFF, March 9, 2021. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/expanding-postpartum-medicaid-coverage/.

Rodin, Diana, Sharon Silow-Carroll, Caitlin Cross-Barnet, Brigette Courtot, and Ian Hill. “Strategies to Promote Postpartum Visit Attendance Among Medicaid Participants.” Journal of Women’s Health 28, no. 9 (September 1, 2019): 1246–53. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2018.7568.

Stuebe, Alison, Tamika Auguste, and Martha Gulati. “ACOG Committee Opinion No. 736: Optimizing Postpartum Care.” Obstetrics & Gynecology 131, no. 5 (May 2018): e140–50. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000002633.

Wouk, Kathryn, Isabel Morgan, Jasmine Johnson, Christine Tucker, Rebecca Carlson, Diane C. Berry, and Alison M. Stuebe. “A Systematic Review of Patient-, Provider-, and Health System-Level Predictors of Postpartum Health Care Use by People of Color and Low-Income and/or Uninsured Populations in the United States.” Journal of Women’s Health 30, no. 8 (August 2021): 1127–59. https://doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2020.8738.