Author Identifier (ORCID)
Abstract
Introduction: Postpartum care is crucial for maternal and infant health but remains inconsistently administered. This systematic qualitative review aimed to synthesize health care providers’ perspectives by exploring the barriers and facilitators experienced by health care providers in administering optimal maternal care during the first 12 months after childbirth. Methods: A systematic qualitative meta-aggregation review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Peer-reviewed qualitative studies from January 2010 to April 2024 were retrieved from MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science. Findings were mapped onto the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use. Results: Twenty-three studies were included. Four key themes emerged: (1) professional barriers associated with administering quality health care, (2) organizational and systemic challenges in postpartum care (structural, policy, and resources barriers), (3) facility levels of services and their influence on decision-making, and (4) client's factors impacting their postpartum. Facilitators included interprofessional teamwork, training, and continuity of care. Key facilitators that supported health care providers in administering postpartum maternal care included interprofessional teamwork, targeted training, and continuity of care. Discussion: Postpartum care continues to be fragmented and underprioritized at individual, organizational, and systemic levels, limiting the quality and continuity of maternal care. Addressing these challenges requires strengthened provider training, improved referral systems, culturally sensitive care, and integrated, team-based approaches. Policy reforms that prioritize postpartum care as a core component of the maternal health care continuum are essential to improving maternal outcomes.
Keywords
barriers, facilitators, meta-aggregation, postpartum care, qualitative systematic review
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
ISSN
15269523
Publication Title
Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health
Publisher
Wiley
School
School of Nursing and Midwifery
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Rouhi, M., Bettiol, S., Prior, S., Rouhi, N., Azu, T. D., Stirling, C., Staff, L., Jones, L., Leftherioti, A., & Nicholson, P. (2026). Barriers and facilitators to providing women postpartum care by health care providers in the first 12 months after childbirth: A systematic qualitative meta-aggregation review. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/jmwh.70142