Postpartum Phone Call Intervention to Improve Postpartum Breastfeeding, Support, and Outcomes

Few studies have evaluated the utility of a postpartum phone call to assess patient status and improve outcomes. This study examined the effectiveness of a phone call intervention 1 week postpartum to evaluate and improve maternal support and outcomes, including breastfeeding, postpartum visit attendance, and intended contraception use. This retrospective cohort study included patients treated at a single obstetrical clinic. The intervention, a scripted, structured phone call performed 1 week postpartum by a nurse, asked about intended contraception use, postpartum depression risk factors, safe sleep practices, and gestational diabetes follow-up care, and also confirmed the postpartum visit. De-identified data were abstracted from electronic medical records to compare outcomes before and after the intervention was implemented. A total of 653 postpartum patients with a mean age of 27 (standard deviation = 5.3). Exclusive breastfeeding rates were 74.4% pre-intervention vs 62.9% postintervention, exclusive formula feeding was 19.8% vs 18.5%, and mixed feeding rates were 4.3% vs 18% (P = .005). Clinic postpartum follow-up attendance rose from 73.7% to 86.8% (P = .007). Mixed feeding rates were higher after the intervention was implemented, suggesting that patients who received the postpartum intervention were more likely to attempt mixed feeding. After implementing a structured postpartum phone call, mixed breastfeeding rates increased, in addition to postpartum visit attendance.