In a new study, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) showed that partnering with doulas and midwives to support mothers with newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) significantly improves access to timely, essential health services during a critical period of care. The findings were reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM.
Mothers of premature or medically fragile newborns often prioritize their newborn’s needs over their own, leading to missed or delayed postpartum care, which can have serious long-term health effects. Researchers wanted to evaluate whether bringing a doula and a midwife to the NICU would shorten the time for postpartum mothers to get essential medical care after delivery, including blood pressure checks, depression screening and contraceptive counseling.
The single-center study, conducted at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, staffed by CHOP neonatologists, from November 29, 2022, to November 7, 2023, evaluated a model known as PeliCaN (postpartum care in the NICU), where doulas and certified nurse midwives were embedded directly in the NICU environment.
“Providing postpartum support for mothers is a powerful step we can take to reduce chronic health issues in America and support families,” said Heather H. Burris, MD, MPH, the study’s lead author and an attending neonatologist at CHOP. “With maternal health complications on the rise, especially among mothers of NICU infants, models like this one could offer a critical lifeline during a stressful and vulnerable time.”
In the study, researchers evaluated 37 postpartum mothers over the course of nearly a year whose babies were born before 34 weeks’ gestation and expected to stay in the NICU for at least a week. Half were allocated to receive usual care, while the other half were assigned the PeliCaN model of care. The doulas and midwives met with mothers in the NICU during their baby’s hospital stay, offering clinical care and emotional support in person and via telehealth.
The researchers found that the differences in follow-up care were significant. Mothers who received care through the PeliCaN model had their first postpartum visit much sooner, an average of 11 days after discharge compared with 31 days for those receiving typical care. Mothers in the intervention group were also more likely to receive all three essential components of postpartum care, including blood pressure checks, depression screening and contraceptive counseling. Only one parent in the PeliCaN group was missing a core care component compared to six in the usual care group. In the usual care group, four mothers did not have a blood pressure measured, one of whom had a history of preeclampsia.
In the future, the researchers plan to release secondary findings about breastfeeding and emotional wellness. They also envision expanding the study to a broader, multi-site research initiative to further explore whether the PeliCaN model can be successfully scaled up and integrated into more NICU settings.
Funding for this study was provided by grants from Optum and the March of Dimes Research Center to Advance Maternal Health Equity.
Burris et al. “Postpartum Care in the Neonatal intensive Care Unit (PeliCaN) – a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Am J Obstet Gynecol. Online June 16, 2025. DOI:10.1016/j.ajogmf.2025.101689
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In a new study, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) showed that partnering with doulas and midwives to support mothers with newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) significantly improves access to timely, essential health services during a critical period of care. The findings were reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM.
Mothers of premature or medically fragile newborns often prioritize their newborn’s needs over their own, leading to missed or delayed postpartum care, which can have serious long-term health effects. Researchers wanted to evaluate whether bringing a doula and a midwife to the NICU would shorten the time for postpartum mothers to get essential medical care after delivery, including blood pressure checks, depression screening and contraceptive counseling.
The single-center study, conducted at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, staffed by CHOP neonatologists, from November 29, 2022, to November 7, 2023, evaluated a model known as PeliCaN (postpartum care in the NICU), where doulas and certified nurse midwives were embedded directly in the NICU environment.
“Providing postpartum support for mothers is a powerful step we can take to reduce chronic health issues in America and support families,” said Heather H. Burris, MD, MPH, the study’s lead author and an attending neonatologist at CHOP. “With maternal health complications on the rise, especially among mothers of NICU infants, models like this one could offer a critical lifeline during a stressful and vulnerable time.”
In the study, researchers evaluated 37 postpartum mothers over the course of nearly a year whose babies were born before 34 weeks’ gestation and expected to stay in the NICU for at least a week. Half were allocated to receive usual care, while the other half were assigned the PeliCaN model of care. The doulas and midwives met with mothers in the NICU during their baby’s hospital stay, offering clinical care and emotional support in person and via telehealth.
The researchers found that the differences in follow-up care were significant. Mothers who received care through the PeliCaN model had their first postpartum visit much sooner, an average of 11 days after discharge compared with 31 days for those receiving typical care. Mothers in the intervention group were also more likely to receive all three essential components of postpartum care, including blood pressure checks, depression screening and contraceptive counseling. Only one parent in the PeliCaN group was missing a core care component compared to six in the usual care group. In the usual care group, four mothers did not have a blood pressure measured, one of whom had a history of preeclampsia.
In the future, the researchers plan to release secondary findings about breastfeeding and emotional wellness. They also envision expanding the study to a broader, multi-site research initiative to further explore whether the PeliCaN model can be successfully scaled up and integrated into more NICU settings.
Funding for this study was provided by grants from Optum and the March of Dimes Research Center to Advance Maternal Health Equity.
Burris et al. “Postpartum Care in the Neonatal intensive Care Unit (PeliCaN) – a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Am J Obstet Gynecol. Online June 16, 2025. DOI:10.1016/j.ajogmf.2025.101689
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