Until February 2020 there was no requirement under the GP contract to provide a maternal postnatal check.

The postnatal period is the single biggest period of risk for maternal death,⁵ higher than either the antenatal or intra-partum period.

The women who are at highest risk of maternal death are from black and Asian ethnic groups, and also those with the lowest socioeconomic status.⁵ These are the same women who are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

One consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic is that there has been a reduction in face-to-face contact in clinical settings⁹ and in home visit provision⁸ during the postnatal period.

Suicide is the leading direct cause of death in the late postnatal period.⁵ We do not yet have evidence of the effect COVID-19 has had on maternal mental health, but it is likely that the reduction we have seen in personal support networks has had a detrimental effect.

If we miss opportunities to provide postnatal care, this may have a direct consequence on women’s long-term health. We know that women with gestational diabetes have an increased lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes, and women with pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension have an increased lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease. The postnatal check provides an important opportunity for patient education and lifestyle modification.