Patient Navigation in Maternal Healthcare: A Narrative Review Focused on Postpartum Care

Maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States remain unacceptably high despite advances in obstetric care, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting a maternal mortality rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024. The postpartum period represents a particularly vulnerable time, characterized by fragmented care and high rates of loss to follow-up. Social, logistical, and healthcare system barriers disproportionately affect medically and socially vulnerable populations, contributing to persistent disparities in postpartum outcomes. Patient navigation, originally developed to reduce disparities in oncology care, has emerged as a promising strategy to improve care coordination, continuity, and healthcare engagement for patients during the perinatal period. This narrative review examines the evolution of patient navigation from its origins in cancer care to its application in maternal healthcare, with a particular focus on postpartum care. Current evidence suggests that patient navigation improves prenatal and postpartum visit attendance, increases utilization of preventive postpartum services, and enhances patient engagement, with the greatest benefits observed among individuals at increased risk of disengagement from care due to social or medical vulnerabilities. Despite these encouraging findings, widespread implementation remains limited by challenges related to funding, reimbursement, standardized training, and program sustainability. Future studies should focus on evaluating long-term maternal outcomes, establishing sustainable implementation models, and identifying populations most likely to benefit from patient navigation interventions.