Cedar Gate Data Finds Nearly 60% of New Mothers Miss Essential Postpartum Follow-Up Care
Nationwide analysis of commercially insured members shows missed appointments far exceed prior estimates, highlighting urgent gaps in maternal health access
GREENWICH, Conn., July 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cedar Gate Technologies (Cedar Gate), a leading value-based care technology and services company, today announced new data revealing that a majority of new mothers are missing critical postpartum care — with younger women facing the steepest barriers. Drawing from its National Healthcare Benchmark Database, which includes insights from millions of commercially insured individuals, Cedar Gate found that nearly 57% of women fail to attend a postpartum follow-up visit between 21 and 56 days (three to eight weeks) after giving birth. That number is higher for younger mothers, underscoring urgent equity gaps in maternal health across the country.1
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that postpartum patients see a provider within the first three weeks after delivery, followed by a comprehensive follow-up between three and 12 weeks. These appointments are vital for addressing complications like postpartum depression, hypertension, and recovery challenges — yet many women never receive them. While previous national estimates suggested that around 40% of women miss the second visit, Cedar Gate’s analysis indicates the gap is even wider, particularly among younger women. These findings highlight the need for better care coordination, patient outreach, and data-driven interventions to improve maternal health outcomes — especially for at-risk populations. Cedar Gate’s analytics platform empowers payers, providers, and employers to identify these disparities and take actionable steps to improve access and reduce avoidable costs.
Among younger mothers, the rates of follow-up care are even lower. More than six in 10 (60.85%) women ages 20 to 24 miss out on postpartum care within three to eight weeks after giving birth. Postpartum moms ages 40 to 44 are the most likely to attend these appointments, with 44.04% attending the appointment, and only 55.96% missing the follow-up care.
“Postpartum care is necessary in the critical window immediately after the birth of a child. It’s essential for identifying and addressing complications that can have lasting impacts on a mother’s physical and mental health,” said David B. Snow, Jr., Chairman and CEO at Cedar Gate. “Our data reveals that far too many women are falling through the cracks, especially younger mothers. With the right analytics and targeted interventions, payers and providers have a real opportunity to close these gaps and drive more equitable, value-based outcomes.”
Despite the rush of attention and excitement surrounding the birth of a new child, much less focus is paid to mothers in the important weeks following. Doctors use these appointments to identify signs of physical and mental health concerns, including:
- Postpartum bleeding and uterine infections
- Incision healing (for c-section deliveries)
- Preeclampsia that can develop after birth
- Breastfeeding issues, such as mastitis
- Postpartum depression and anxiety
- Poor sleep, fatigue, or pain
- Support for basic needs, such as food and diapers
- Contraception and future pregnancy planning
Doctors can also use these appointments to check in on things like postnatal nutrition, contraception, and important screenings like Pap smears.
“These missed appointments represent a major gap in postpartum care,” said Gregory Shelton, MD, FACOG, an OBGYN in Houston, and member of the Global Women’s Health Provider network. “Follow-up visits are essential for screening for postpartum depression, managing chronic conditions, and supporting recovery. Data like Cedar Gate’s is vital for understanding who’s being left behind and designing smarter solutions to improve maternal health for all women.”
Cedar Gate’s National Benchmark database provides actionable insights for payers, providers, and self-funded employers to benchmark performance, understand population trends, and identify impactful ways to improve care and reduce costs. All data is anonymized and thoroughly de-identified to protect patient privacy.
For more information about Cedar Gate Technologies and its value-based care solutions, visit www.cedargate.com.
About Cedar Gate Technologies
Cedar Gate enables payers, providers, employers, and service administrators to excel at value-based care with a unified technology and services platform delivering analytics, population health, and payment technology on a single data management foundation. From primary care attribution to bundled payments and capitation, Cedar Gate is improving clinical, financial, and operational outcomes for every payment model in all lines of business.
1 While a second postpartum appointment is generally recommended around six weeks for most women, ACOG recommends that the timing be individualized to the woman, and could occur up to 12 weeks postpartum for some patients. The quality metric measured in Cedar Gate’s database would not include women who still get a follow-up visit, but do it after eight weeks postpartum.
Contact:
Matt Miller
cedargate@v2comms.com
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