The Role of Postpartum Health Education Interventions in Improving Black Maternal Health Outcomes

Danikah Milliance

Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation

College: College of Health Professions and Human Services

Major: DPT.PHYSTHERAPY

Faculty Research Mentor: Gentile, Jennifer  

Abstract:

Black women in the United States experience nearly three times the rate of pregnancy-related deaths per year than non-Hispanic White women. This disparity persists even after controlling for factors such as race, socioeconomic status, and educational level. Maternal mortality is defined as the death of a woman secondary to complications during pregnancy or within one year of giving birth. Comprehensive maternal health education is underutilized as a means to mitigate the impact of pregnancy complications. The integration of maternal health education into standard postpartum care may lead to improved outcomes and earlier detection of potentially pregnancy-related complications for Black women in the United States.A literature review was conducted using PubMed. Keywords included “black maternal health AND education”, “black maternal health AND postpartum care”, “postpartum care”, “educational intervention”, “pelvic health education”, “maternal mortality”, and “postpartum complications”. Boolean operators (AND, OR) were used to refine searches. Inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025 pertaining to black women, maternal health education, educational interventions, and postpartum care. Exclusion criteria: articles published before 2015, articles published outside of the United States.A PubMed search yielded 154 results. After screening, four studies met the inclusion criteria: one qualitative intervention evaluation, one mixed-methods program evaluation, one proposed randomized control trial (RCT), and one completed RCT. The studies included in this review discuss the potential role of maternal health education interventions in supporting postpartum recovery, detection and management of complications, and accessibility of information for Black women within the United States.Technology-based postpartum educational interventions delivered via mobile health programs or web-based platforms are associated with increased postpartum knowledge, as well as enhanced preparedness and self-care behaviors. The interventions assessed emphasized education around postpartum warning signs and monitoring symptoms, both supporting earlier detection of pregnancy-related complications. These interventions have shown to improve patient confidence in managing postpartum recovery. This suggests that maternal health education interventions may positively impact postpartum outcomes. The limited number of intervention-based studies highlights a gap in the research as it relates to Black women in the United States.Keywords: black women, black mothers, maternal health, education, postpartum care, educational intervention