UAMS Center for Women and Infants’ Health expands postpartum outreach program
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Ark.
Nurses from the Arkansas Center for Women & Infants’ Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have launched an outreach initiative to support postpartum mothers. The Proactive Postpartum Call Center began its pilot phase in May 2025, initially contacting all new moms who delivered at UAMS. It has since expanded to include six additional hospitals, with the goal of reaching all 33 birthing facilities statewide. These calls, which take place during the critical six weeks after childbirth, cover topics such as physical recovery, infant care, lactation support, housing, formula or diaper assistance, and insurance re-enrollment.
“By reaching out to them during the first six weeks after birth, we are connecting with these women at a time when maternal mortality risk is at its highest. That means that for some of these women, these calls can be the difference between life and death,” explains Manuel E. Tejada, program director at UAMS. One mother shared her gratitude in writing, “I am thankful for the hotline that calls to check up on you. If they had not called, I would not have known to go to triage and would not have known that I had postpartum preeclampsia.”
Beyond medical follow-up, the call center also helps families navigate social and logistical needs — such as connecting non-English speaking mothers to interpreters.