Abstract
Approximately two-thirds of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States occur during the postpartum period, yet there is minimal research focusing on the postpartum hospital stay, a critical point of contact between women and the health care system and an important opportunity for intervention. A new approach to postpartum care is needed. "Woman-centered" postpartum care is recommended to improve maternal outcomes, but the concept of woman-centered care is not well-defined. Using Walker & Avant's method of concept analysis, we identified four defining attributes of woman-centered care in the literature: 1) choice, control, and involvement in decision-making; 2) communication and collaboration in the caregiver-woman relationship; 3) individualized and holistic care; and 4) continuity of care. Using these findings, we offer a conceptual definition of woman-centered care and apply the attributes to the postpartum hospitalization in the model and contrary cases. We discuss the potential of the concept to improve maternal health care during this critical period.
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