Care navigation, self-measured blood pressure, and health coaching for postpartum care
A postpartum care model combining health coaching with self-measured blood pressure (BP) monitoring significantly improved both health care engagement and blood pressure control by 12 months post partum, according to research published in JAMA Network Open.
The study evaluated a coaching-led intervention for patients who had experienced hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) — a group at elevated risk of chronic hypertension and long-term cardiovascular disease. Alongside care navigation and home BP monitoring, the coaching component was designed to keep patients connected to follow-up care during the postpartum period, when engagement with health services typically falls away.
Participants who received the intervention were more likely to remain engaged with health care and to achieve BP control at the 12-month mark than those who did not, the authors report.
The findings support health coaching as an effective strategy for reducing long-term uncontrolled hypertension among patients with HDP, the researchers conclude — a period increasingly recognised as a critical window for identifying and managing future cardiovascular risk.
The corresponding author is Megan R. Knutson Sinaise, MS, ACSM-CEP, of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Reference: doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.26970
