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The 4^th Trimester, the first 12 weeks following delivery, is a sensitive period of time that influence the wellbeing of generations, including the way families seek health care and information across the lifespan.

Mothers with limited resources must also access services for themselves and their infants within systems that are often complex and not consumer-centered. During this “4th Trimester,” many women and their families experience considerable, interrelated biopsychosocial challenges that are insufficiently supported by health care providers, employers, and the community. Women and their families are under-educated about and therefore unprepared for postpartum health and recovery. Women often receive critical postpartum health information solely at birthing facility discharge when they are exhausted, then in the US, they may wait 6 weeks for care and information even when it is needed immediately. Further, 40% of American women do not receive a postpartum visit. There is much work to be done, and UNC CMIH proposes that we begin where the mothers first led us – accessible, credible, at-your-fingertips information.

 Women have clearly expressed that they need more resources about postpartum health and improved support and communication from clinicians and families. Our first step, therefore, is to make accurate information easily available to demystify postpartum recovery and advance wellness. With support from funders, we will use a human-centered design approach to create and launch the Fourth Trimester & Beyond website hub – offering comprehensive, shareable postpartum health and wellness information for women, families, and clinicians on a common platform.

 To truly create a mother-centered design hub, we are listening to the experiences of mothers, their providers, and their support systems. We need your voice! Please take a few minutes to anonymously share your experience as a new mother or supporter of a new mother: http://bit.ly/4thtrimestersurvey. Thank you!

The post Your voice is needed to create the 1st woman-centered, postpartum, self-care website appeared first on UNC Collaborative for Maternal & Infant Health.