Clinicians urge tailored postnatal care in Singapore

Singaporean and South Korean clinicians are advocating for more personalized postnatal care as women are increasingly giving birth later in life. At a Joint Postnatal Recovery Seminar in Singapore, Dr Ho Ping Ling and Dr Park Jeong-mi discussed the differing approaches to postpartum recovery between the two countries. Dr Ho emphasized that recovery plans should cater to each mother’s unique health, delivery experience, family support, and preferences.

While the postpartum period is typically six weeks, she noted that the duration required to regain health can vastly differ among women. Traditional postnatal practices, such as avoiding bathing or washing hair, may conflict with modern hygiene and infection control principles. In South Korea, postpartum care has largely shifted from being family-based to a structured system with recovery centres providing round-the-clock support for maternal recovery, meals, breastfeeding, and newborn care.

South Korean studies found no significant age-related differences in certain postpartum symptoms, but delivery method remained a crucial factor. The World Health Organization supports the idea of tailored postnatal care, emphasizing the need to consider individual needs, cultural context, and emotional wellbeing. Singapore’s Ministry of Health currently offers subsidised postnatal services at polyclinics and subsidised childhood developmental screening. The ministry is reviewing policies to potentially provide additional support for postpartum care.