Beyond Contraception: Pharmacist Roles to Support Maternal Health.

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Maternal Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Pharmacist-provided contraception prescribing has rapidly expanded.
• Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to address maternal health needs across all stages: preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum.
• Pharmacists offer accessible healthcare services, often more so than other providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the broad scope of pharmacist-provided maternal health services beyond contraception.
• To emphasize the potential of pharmacists to address significant public health issues like infant and maternal mortality, preterm birth, and unintended pregnancies.
• To advocate for the integration of pharmacists as a key workforce in maternal healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Review of current pharmacist-provided services impacting maternal health.
• Analysis of the accessibility and potential impact of these services.
• Discussion of necessary partnerships for robust program implementation.

Main Results:

• Pharmacists can provide essential services throughout the maternal health continuum.
• These services have the potential for significant healthcare cost savings.
• Further research is needed to fully quantify the value of pharmacist-provided maternal health services.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacists are a capable and accessible workforce for providing comprehensive maternal health care.
• Collaboration between providers, payers, and pharmacists is crucial for successful implementation.
• Pharmacist-led maternal health initiatives can serve as a critical entry point into the healthcare system.