New Orleans is reviving the practice of postpartum house calls to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in a state that faces particular challenges. Family Connects New Orleans, a program of the city health department, provides eligible residents who recently gave birth with up to three home visits from registered nurses during the critical first months of life.
Louisiana ranks among the worst-performing states for maternal and infant health outcomes. The state has some of the highest rates of preterm births, unnecessary cesarean sections, and maternal and infant deaths, according to the March of Dimes. A recent United Health Foundation analysis found Louisiana the “least healthy” state for women and children. New Orleans health director Jennifer Avegno launched the local Family Connects program in 2023, describing it as going “back to the future.”
The home visits are free and available to anyone who has just given birth in a New Orleans hospital, regardless of insurance status or income. Nurses arrive with diaper bags filled with newborn essentials and conduct physical examinations of babies, check on mothers’ health and well-being, and offer referrals to city programs. They also screen families about food security and gun storage.
Early data analyzed by Tulane University researchers shows promising results after two years of operation. Families who received visits were more likely to maintain the recommended schedule of pediatric and postpartum checkups. Moms and babies were less likely to need hospitalization, and overall health care spending was down among Medicaid-insured families. In North Carolina, a comparable program showed that three to seven home visits reduced emergency room trips by 50% in the year before a baby turned 1.
A particularly significant finding concerns postpartum depression screening. About 10% of mothers in the New Orleans program were eventually diagnosed with postpartum depression, compared with 6% of mothers who did not receive visits, allowing earlier intervention. The program costs the city about $1.5 million annually, or approximately $700 per birth. Research on North Carolina’s program found that every $1 invested saved $3.17 in health care billing before the child turned 2. The Louisiana legislature passed a law requiring private insurance plans to cover the visits, and officials are advocating for inclusion in the state’s Medicaid program.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/new-orleans-postpartum-home-visits-newborn-maternal-health/