Specialist postnatal care for people who give birth prior to 34 weeks' gestation: A quality improvement project at leeds teaching hospitals trust.

Miller, G.; Kilburn, E.

Specialist postnatal care for people who give birth prior to 34 weeks' gestation: A quality improvement project at leeds teaching hospitals trust.

All Authors

Miller, G.

Kilburn, E.

LTHT Author

Miller, Gemma
Kilburn, Elizabeth

LTHT Department

Women's Services
Obstetrics
Midwifery

Non Medic

Midwife

Publication Date

2025

Item Type

Article

Abstract

Postnatal care is an area of maternity care that has been highlighted as requiring improvement. People who give birth prematurely and have a baby on the neonatal unit (NNU) have unique needs in the postnatal period. A local audit highlighted that people often received inconsistent postnatal care in various settings, resulting in poor continuity and patient satisfaction. The introduction of a new standardised pathway of specialist postnatal care for people giving birth before 34 completed gestational weeks and whose baby was admitted to the NNU has demonstrated improved continuity, patient engagement and patient satisfaction. The new model of postnatal care could be replicated in other maternity units to achieve similar improvements in patient care.