Healthcare workers’ perspectives on postpartum self-care and digital support strategies: a qualitative study

The postpartum period is a critical stage in maternal health, yet many women face challenges in meeting their self-care needs. Healthcare workers (HCWs) can provide valuable insights into factors influencing postpartum self-care and potential approaches for improving support. To explore healthcare workers’ perspectives on postpartum self-care, including barriers, facilitators, women’s needs, and strategies for improving postpartum support. This qualitative study was conducted in 2025 in Bojnourd, Iran. Forty HCWs, including public health experts, midwives, and general practitioners, were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a hybrid inductive–deductive content analysis approach. Emergent themes were subsequently interpreted using the Biopsychosocial (BPS) model. Six interrelated themes were identified: barriers to postpartum self-care, facilitators of self-care, postpartum women’s multidimensional needs, strategies for improving self-care, educational resources and delivery approaches, and essential features of a postpartum self-care mobile application. Participants highlighted barriers across biological, psychological, social, and health-system domains, including physical and mental health challenges, insufficient support, structural constraints, and cultural beliefs. Key facilitators included family and professional support and continuous education. Participants also emphasized the need for integrated support strategies, improved follow-up services, tailored educational resources, and user-centered digital tools. Healthcare workers viewed postpartum self-care as a multidimensional issue shaped by interacting biological, psychological, social, and health-system factors. The findings provide a foundation for designing integrated postpartum support interventions and may inform future digital health initiatives for postpartum women.