High-risk pregnancies: Improving outcomes, reducing costs, and redefining support

When complications arise before, during, or after childbirth, the cost of care can grow exponentially. Pregnancies resulting in cesarean section cost 77% more than vaginal births and require longer recovery times.³ On average, premature babies spend 25 days in the hospital at a cost of $145K.⁴ And first-year health care costs for low-birth-weight babies are $29K higher than their average-weight counterparts.⁵ Understandably, complications like these also result in indirect costs like productivity loss, absenteeism, and sick leave.⁶

Remote monitoring, virtual care, and integrated psychosocial support are empowering care teams to prevent complications, minimize costs, and improve outcomes of high-risk pregnancies. Choosing a health plan that actively embraces these innovations is critical to your workforce health strategy.

In an integrated health care system, patients’ electronic medical records connect the dots between different locations and specialists. Integrated care also enables standardized practices and protocols, so all sites of care are prepared to respond to the patient’s condition.

“At Kaiser Permanente, we have large databases and algorithms that can help identify risks in patients, and rich data from routine screenings and remote monitoring,” says Dr. Greenberg. “Our electronic medical records help us tie all that information together to see a big-picture view of their health. So, we’re able to detect problems among pregnant and postpartum patients early and collaborate to move them through the appropriate levels of care more effectively.”

Anxiety and depression are common perinatal conditions that can drive absenteeism, lower productivity, and have serious health impacts.¹⁰ For example, pregnant people who are depressed are at higher risk for preterm birth and low birth weight, and households affected by postpartum depression can incur 22% higher medical and pharmaceutical spending during the first year following childbirth.^11,12

With regular mental health screenings embedded in routine prenatal care, clinicians are better able to identify and support the 22% of pregnant patients who experience mood disorders — and identify mental health needs in employees who might not seek care on their own.¹⁴

With an estimated 70% of pregnant people in the U.S. working during their pregnancies, investing in high-quality, evidence-based pregnancy care makes good business sense.^15,16

Over half of people who give birth in the U.S. return to work during their child’s infancy, and some experience lingering health issues related to pregnancy and giving birth.¹⁸ Employees who take longer parental leave are healthier during their first month back at work — and those who take at least 17 weeks off are healthiest.¹⁹

In addition to leave, remote work options can provide the flexibility employees need to rest and seek care as needed. Working full-time or part-time from home can increase positive mentality in new parents by up to 42%.²⁰ Overall, employers say robust parental leave policies improve productivity; reduce absenteeism; and boost employee commitment, satisfaction, and retention.²¹

Investing in high-quality perinatal care is a workforce health imperative. With risk factors trending up, providing access to proactive, evidence-based health care is the best way to support employees who want to have children — and to avoid the high costs associated with complications during pregnancy.²² In addition to boosting productivity and minimizing absenteeism, these innovative measures have also been shown to increase overall company morale, and foster loyalty and commitment, helping you retain valued employees.²³

With proper prenatal care, careful monitoring, and proactive management, many people with high-risk pregnancies deliver healthy babies. If your employees are looking to expand their families, help them safely plan by providing the coverage, space, and support they need for a healthy pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience.