Objectives This study aimed to measure the incidence and identify predictors of postpartum visit non-attendance, using medical records of women who received prenatal care and went on to deliver live births at Montefiore Hospital in 2013. Methods Pearson's Chi square tests were used to assess the association between maternal demographics, insurance status, and delivery information with non-attendance of a postpartum visit. Logistic regression and modified Poisson regression models were then used to identify statistically significant predictors of postpartum visit non-attendance. Results We found that one-third of all women who attended a prenatal visit at Montefiore Hospital did not return for a postpartum visit. Variables significantly associated with non-attendance include having Medicaid or no insurance (RR 1.4, 95 % CI 1.2-1.6), being Hispanic or Latino (RR 1.2, 95 % CI 1.1-1.3), having a vaginal delivery (RR 1.2, 95 % CI 1.1-1.4), and age <20 years (RR 0.77, 95 % CI 0.64-0.92). Conclusions for Practice We conclude that the risk of postpartum visit non-attendance disproportionately impacts socially and economically vulnerable patients who are: younger, part of a minority ethnic background, and depend on state funded health insurance. Our results highlight the disparity in access to postpartum care and the importance of identifying barriers to attendance as well as developing creative strategies of providing postpartum care outside of the traditional postpartum visit framework.

Objective To compare intrauterine device (IUD) use at 6 months postpartum among women who underwent intracesarean delivery (during cesarean delivery) IUD placement versus women who planned for interval IUD placement 6 or more weeks postpartum. Methods In this non-blinded randomized trial women who were undergoing a cesarean and desired an IUD were randomized to intracesarean cesarean delivery or interval IUD placement. The primary outcome was IUD use at 6 months postpartum. A sample size of 112 (56 in each group) was planned to detect a 15% difference in IUD use at 6 months postpartum between groups. Results From March 2012 to June 2014, 172 women were screened and 112 women were randomized into the trial. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Data regarding IUD use at 6 months postpartum was available for 98 women, 48 and 50 women in the intracesarean and interval groups, respectively. A larger proportion of the women in the intracesarean group were using an IUD at 6 months postpartum ((40/48), 83%) compared to those in the interval group ((32/50) 64%, relative risk [RR]=1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02, 1.66). Among the 56 women randomized to interval IUD insertion, 22 (39%) of them never received an IUD; 14 (25%) never returned for IUD placement, five (9%) women declined an IUD, and three (5%) had a failed IUD placement. Conclusion IUD placement at the time of cesarean delivery leads to a higher proportion of IUD use at 6 months postpartum when compared to interval IUD placement.

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