Almost eight in ten women raise a physical or mental health concern at their 6 week postnatal appointment, yet only one in four of those women are offered follow-up support or onward referral, according to major new research into postnatal recovery in the UK.

‘Beyond the Six-Week Check’, published today by women's health company Hesta Health, brings together nationally representative polling of 500 UK women who have given birth within the past two years with insight from leading clinicians, maternal-health advocates and women sharing their lived experiences.

The report provides a holistic examination of what happens to women physically, psychologically and emotionally after birth, and asks whether postnatal healthcare currently supports women sufficiently in the UK or whether women are falling out of healthcare at one of the most important intervention points in their lives.

Among its key findings:

79% of women raised at least one physical or mental health concern during their postnatal appointment.

Of those raising concerns, just 25% were offered follow-up support or onward referral.

44% were told their symptoms were “normal” and no further action was required.

The average postnatal appointment lasted just 14.6 minutes.

47% said their postnatal health issues affected their sleep.

37% said their mental wellbeing was affected and 34% their confidence or self-esteem.

Only 23% said long-term health risks following pregnancy were discussed.

14% said postnatal health issues affected their ability to return to work.

The findings challenge the idea that recovery from pregnancy and birth can be meaningfully contained within a six-week timeframe, and whether the opportunity to identify risk, intervene early and improve women’s long-term health is ultimately being missed.

Clinicians contributing to the report describe recovery as a much longer health transition encompassing physical healing, pelvic-floor recovery, hormonal and cardiovascular change, sleep, mental health, birth trauma and identity — with some symptoms emerging or intensifying months after birth.

Yet almost half (47%) of women surveyed said their postnatal appointment was either helpful but insufficient or did not meet their recovery needs. Only one in five women stated that they did not need any further support after the six week check appointment. Pregnancy and childbirth are a major intervention point for women’s lifelong health, but once the baby is born, the system largely stops looking.

Dr Sujitha Selvarajah, practising NHS obstetrics and gynaecology doctor and co-founder of Hesta Health, said:

"Pregnancy and birth are among the most closely monitored periods in a woman's life. But after birth support becomes fragmented, and recovery does not suddenly end at six weeks.

"What this research shows is that women are raising concerns and asking for help. The question is whether the model around them gives clinicians enough opportunity to identify what needs follow-up, what requires specialist support and what may have implications for a woman's longer-term health.

"Recovery after birth is not a short-term event. It is a major health transition, and our approach to postnatal health needs to reflect that reality."

THE HIDDEN IMPACT OF POSTNATAL RECOVERY

Beyond the immediate clinical findings, the research reveals how unresolved postnatal health issues can extend into almost every part of women's lives.

Women reported impacts on sleep (47%), mental wellbeing (37%), confidence or self-esteem (34%), physical activity (33%), intimacy or sexual health (29%), relationships (20%) and their ability to return to work (14%).

The report also highlights concerns about women increasingly having to navigate their own recovery — researching symptoms, determining what is normal, seeking referrals and deciding when problems are serious enough to escalate — often while simultaneously caring for a newborn.

Clinical contributors warn that this may particularly disadvantage women experiencing trauma, mental-health difficulties, language barriers, financial pressures or unequal access to specialist services.

SIX ACTIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF POSTNATAL CARE

Childbirth is one of the biggest health intervention points in a woman’s life: we are currently treating it like an endpoint.

The report makes clear that these issues are not a reflection on individual clinicians, but reflects a systemic issue. Hesta is calling for six key areas of action to deliver the changes required.

1. Make six weeks a checkpoint, not an endpoint

Build clearer opportunities for support and follow-up beyond the traditional six-week milestone.

2. Give every woman a more comprehensive recovery assessment

Create sufficient opportunity to consider physical recovery, pelvic health, mental wellbeing, birth experience and wider recovery needs together.

3. Move from reactive to proactive follow-up

Where concerns or risks are identified, establish clear next steps for monitoring, referral, specialist support or guidance rather than relying on women to repeatedly escalate their own concerns.

4. Connect and integrate physical, pelvic and mental healthcare

Create greater continuity between the different services involved in women's recovery.

5. Use pregnancy and birth as a window into lifelong health

Ensure women understand the potential longer-term implications of pregnancy complications and can access appropriate preventative support and monitoring.

6. Give women a long-term recovery roadmap

Provide clearer, evidence-based information about what recovery may look like, what symptoms may need support, when to seek help and where to go.

Amanda Cupples, co-founder of Hesta Health, said:

"This isn't about adding more appointments for the sake of it. It's about asking how we design a more continuous, integrated and preventative model around what new mothers actually experience, and one that connects the dots between physical recovery, mental health and the economic and social benefits of better lifelong maternal health. The six-week check shouldn't be the end of the conversation. It should be the beginning."

A NEW AGENDA FOR POSTNATAL HEALTH

The report includes contributions from clinicians and maternal-health experts spanning obstetrics and gynaecology, general practice, pelvic health and perinatal mental health, alongside maternal-health advocates and women sharing their experiences of recovery.

Contributors include former Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists President Dr Ranee Thakar; consultant perinatal psychiatrist and Make Birth Better co-founder Dr Rebecca Moore; pelvic health physiotherapist and Mummy MOT founder Maria Elliott; women's health GP Dr Anita Coutinho; perinatal psychotherapist Katie Robertson; and Five X More co-founder and black maternal health advocate Tinuke Awe.

Dr Ranee Thakar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist and former President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said:

"What we are doing is a tick box at six weeks. Tick, tick, tick — and that's it. You forget. And then women actually get completely lost."

Hesta Health says the report is intended to contribute to the wider conversation about how postnatal care can continue to evolve through more continuous, integrated and preventative approaches, recognising that women's needs often extend well beyond the traditional six-week milestone.

The company is also continuing research into new approaches to postnatal assessment and care through Hesta Labs, its research and development arm, working with women, clinicians, healthcare organisations and research partners to build the evidence for future models of postnatal care.

Beyond the Six-Week Check is available on request.

-ENDS-

ABOUT THE RESEARCH

‘Beyond the Six-Week Check’ combines nationally representative quantitative research, clinician insight and women's lived experiences.

Nationally representative polling was commissioned by Hesta Health and conducted by OnePoll between 23–26 February 2026 among 500 UK women who had given birth within the previous two years. The sample included respondents across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and was weighted using ONS mid-year population estimates.

The report also draws on a clinical and lived-experience roundtable, additional expert clinical contributions and interviews and written submissions from women about their experiences of postnatal recovery.

Survey findings represent women's self-reported experiences and should not be interpreted as clinical prevalence estimates.

ABOUT HESTA HEALTH

Hesta Health is a pregnancy & postnatal health service co-founded by Amanda Cupples (renowned tech & business leader who previously ran Airbnb in the UK & Northern Europe, with a prior role as COO at Babylon Health) and Dr Sujitha Selvarajah (a practicing NHS Obstetrics & Gynaecology doctor with a background in public health).

Built to support women and birthing parents through pregnancy, the ‘fourth trimester’ and beyond, with a mission to address the postnatal recovery gap in the UK, Hesta is CQC registered and launched in London in February 2026.

In 2025 the company raised a £2m pre seed round - one of the largest in European women's health. Starting with postnatal health, Hesta brings together continuous human-led care with AI-first infrastructure, bringing exceptional clinicians together with data, technology and clinically-led pathways to improve outcomes and reduce pressure on healthcare systems.

In September 2026, Hesta launched Hesta Labs, its new research and development arm, alongside a £1.5 million R&D programme supported by Innovate UK funding as part of the Biomedical Catalyst initiative, and focused on investigating unanswered questions in women’s health and translating what it learns into better care, building the evidence base for the future of postnatal care.

Media enquiries: Press@hesta.health

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