Care for the vulnerable mother

In Belgium, 17.9% of children are born into vulnerable families (EU-SILC, 2017). Although it is widely known that extra support during the pregnancy, and postpartum period is very valuable for vulnerable families, they still often slip through the cracks. In the context of short hospital stays postpartum in Flanders, extra support for vulnerable families is needed more than ever. Quality indicators for postnatal care in Flanders were already developed in 2015 to monitor the quality of postnatal care in Flanders after childbirth (Helsloot, et al., 2017). However, no quality indicators specific to vulnerable mothers were retained during the selection process. Consequently, this study focused specifically on the development of quality indicators for the perinatal follow-up of vulnerable mothers with the ultimate aim of monitoring and evaluating the perinatal care of vulnerable mothers in Flanders.

The research proceeded in 3 phases. In a first phase, the (scientific) literature was searched for potential indicators. In a second phase, this list of indicators was presented to a panel of experts (care and assistance providers) who assessed the indicators for relevance and feasibility. In a third phase, the indicator list was checked against the experiences of vulnerable mothers. This allowed 21 indicators in 5 care domains to be defined. (link to full report)

Implementing these quality indicators in existing and new care pathways for vulnerable mothers provides an evidence-based approach that facilitates an integrated approach to promote a healthy start for mother and child.