Challenges and Future in Postpartum Wellness That Have Been Overlooked

Dentsu Inc. has launched 'Healthcare Trend Forecast 50,' an information tool that predicts 50 key trends (future developments) in the healthcare market from a mid-term perspective, designed to support new business ideation and product/service development.

This tool extracts five trends from the megatrends generally predicted to occur, which are expected to have a particularly significant impact on the healthcare market. It forecasts what currents are likely to emerge in the healthcare market under the influence of each megatrend.

This series picks out themes from these 50 healthcare trends that deserve special attention. We invite leading experts in each field as guest speakers to explore the future in greater depth.

The theme for the second installment is the future outlook for "Postpartum Wellness." How will care for the physical and mental health of women after childbirth, along with support for childcare, evolve and impact the healthcare market? We explore this with Hiroko Nakamura, a leading expert in the femtech field in Japan, and Wanqing Jiang from the Dentsu Inc. Healthcare Team.

<Table of Contents>
▼Why Postpartum Wellness Deserves Attention Now—Even the WHO Has Issued Guidelines!

▼Back and Shoulder Pain, Urinary Incontinence... Over Half of Women After Childbirth Experience Symptoms They Didn't Have Before!

▼Growing Services for Casual Yet Professional Consultations on Issues Women Previously Couldn't Discuss

▼Let's Build Literacy Together—Birth Experiencers and Their Support Networks—for an Exciting Future!

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Why should we focus on postpartum wellness now? Even the WHO has established guidelines!

Jiang: Postpartum care involves supporting women physically and mentally during this unstable period after childbirth, as well as assisting with unfamiliar childcare tasks. In March 2022, the WHO released the world's first guidelines* to support women and newborns during the first six weeks postpartum.

It states: "The physical and mental effects of childbirth can worsen if not properly managed, but with timely and appropriate care, recovery is often possible. The first few weeks after birth are crucial not only for addressing immediate health concerns but also for building relationships and establishing behaviors that impact long-term infant development and health."

※"WHO recommendations on maternal and newborn care for a positive postnatal experience"

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In Japan, a partial revision of the Maternal and Child Health Act in 2019 legalized postpartum care services for mothers and infants within the first year after birth. Going forward, Japan also needs to deepen understanding, evolve systems, products, and services, and enhance specialized, practical solutions to establish appropriate postpartum wellness.

Nakamura: While I haven't personally experienced childbirth, I feel that even many women are unaware of aspects of postnatal care. Generally, I think many people assume that "giving birth to a healthy child safely is a given," but I strongly feel that is absolutely not the case.

For example, "postpartum depression" is a type of mood disorder that develops after childbirth, and it's a term we hear quite commonly now. However, the term "postpartum depression" only became widely used in Japan relatively recently. Awareness of it is said to have increased significantly from the 1990s to the 2000s. Particularly since the 2000s, countermeasures against postpartum depression have been positioned as a key pillar of maternal and child health policy, and its recognition as a social issue is said to have rapidly grown.

This situation is likely not unique to Japan but exists overseas as well. This is probably why the WHO published guidelines offering concrete direction for improving the health and welfare of mothers and children worldwide. This underscores that postpartum wellness remains a developing field, but it also highlights the significance of advancing this area.

Moving forward, while advancing research is essential, it will absolutely be necessary for society as a whole to raise literacy around "postpartum wellness" and "postpartum care," fostering mutual support with compassion.

Back and shoulder pain, urinary incontinence... Over half of women after childbirth experience symptoms they didn't have before giving birth!

Jiang: So, what kinds of symptoms do women experience after childbirth? Here, I'd like to share some interesting data.

Source: Japan Women's Foundation, FY2022 "Survey on Physical Problems Experienced by Mothers During Pregnancy and After Childbirth"

This survey examined physical symptoms experienced by women after childbirth. The most common symptom is lower back pain, experienced by a significant 63.6% of respondents. This is followed by urinary incontinence at 53.2% and shoulder pain at 44.4%. However, the reality is that only 15% of those experiencing these symptoms actually seek medical consultation.

Nakamura: There's a sense of embarrassment about telling others "I have urinary incontinence," and it might be difficult to discuss even with a doctor. At my previous job (fermata, which operates a femtech business), there was a very memorable incident.

When a TV crew visited our femtech specialty store, a female announcer who had given birth stated on camera, "After childbirth, my urinary leakage just wouldn't stop," and "The solution is to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles."

After the broadcast, customers began flocking to the store, saying things like, "I thought I was the only one with this problem," and "This is the first time I realized I'm not alone." It really drove home how many women, even among mom friends, find it difficult to discuss postpartum bodily changes. It reaffirmed how meaningful it is to share this kind of information.

Jiang: Physical and mental symptoms after childbirth, like menstruation, can be difficult topics even among women. Mothers focus on gathering information and understanding during pregnancy and leading up to birth, so facing new challenges afterward can make it hard to make decisions on their own. It's something only those who've experienced childbirth understand, and talking about it can feel embarrassing. There are various reasons why women can't openly discuss their struggles, like feeling they should just endure it.

Nakamura: On top of that, after giving birth, many moms tend to prioritize their child and put themselves second. I see this tendency among my own friends, which I think is also why moms' own postpartum symptoms are easily overlooked.

Services are increasing that allow mothers to casually yet professionally discuss concerns they previously couldn't share with others.

Jiang: So, how will postpartum wellness evolve in the future?

In my home country, China, there's a term "yuezhi" (月子) referring to the first month after childbirth. It's common for new mothers to spend this month recuperating at a "yuezhi center" (月子中心), a postpartum care facility.

In Japan, the residential postpartum care resort " HOTEL CAFUNE," where families can also stay, is gaining attention. Beyond that, app services like POLA's postpartum care app " mamaniere " have emerged, allowing new mothers to consult easily. Among femtech-related companies and services globally and domestically, what are you particularly watching, Ms. Nakamura?

Nakamura: The femtech market has trends that shift over time, with various products and services constantly emerging. Furthermore, postpartum care was included in the "10 Wellness Trends to Watch This Year" announced by the Global Wellness Summit (GWS) in 2024. As if to support this announcement, numerous postpartum care-related products and services are being created. This trend is expected to accelerate further.

Amidst this, I'm constantly watching a UK company called " elvie." Their hallmark is evidence-based product development. Innovative products that break conventional molds, like a smartphone-linked pelvic floor muscle training device and a wearable automatic breast pump, are gaining attention. They also actively publish their own reports, and I believe this information is valuable for understanding women's needs and unmet challenges.

Then there's " Peanut," a mom-friend matching app primarily serving the UK, US, and Canada. It enables women to seek advice across various communities throughout all life stages—not just postpartum, but also during fertility treatments, pregnancy, motherhood, and menopause. It allows for easy discussion of topics difficult to share with real-life friends and, above all, offers casual usability. It's a highly useful app.

Furthermore, " Ovia Health " offers comprehensive support, including coaching and advice focused specifically on the postpartum period (the time after childbirth when the body returns to its pre-pregnancy state). It also emphasizes the importance of postpartum care, featuring a striking message on its site: "Women are more likely to die in the 12 months after childbirth than during childbirth itself, and over one-third experience lifelong health complications after giving birth."

Let's raise awareness together—both those who've given birth and those around them—to create an exciting future!

Jiang: Finally, I'd like to predict how society might change as postpartum wellness evolves.

Nakamura: Amidst a global population decline, I believe considering postpartum wellness is profoundly meaningful. It's also crucial to carefully envision a future focused on those who will give birth. We should consider activities that harness the power of those who have experienced childbirth, consolidate that knowledge, and pass it on to the next generation.

Jiang: I agree. Perhaps a "new mechanism" to connect companies engaged in postpartum wellness initiatives with postpartum individuals themselves would be beneficial.

Nakamura: Exactly. Currently, information on postpartum wellness is overwhelmingly insufficient. Like menstrual pain, postpartum struggles are often dismissed by many women as "normal" or "not painful." This tendency makes these issues rarely discussed and difficult to bring to light, which is a major challenge. Uncovering these experiences is absolutely essential moving forward.

Furthermore, focusing solely on the health of the individuals experiencing these challenges isn't sufficient. For instance, partners or family members might also face mental health issues, and workplaces need to provide practical support for returning employees. Therefore, the ideal future vision involves engaging both the individuals experiencing these challenges and those around them, collectively raising everyone's literacy around postpartum wellness. I believe the best approach is to imagine a future where postpartum wellness is improved, and to deepen our understanding while feeling excited about it.

Jiang: That's right. Solving challenges like the volume and accuracy of postpartum information, as well as the timing of access, is key to reducing mothers' anxiety. Furthermore, in future postpartum wellness, the importance of products and services that address the mother's own needs, not just baby care, is growing. It's also clear that continuous postpartum care is needed, extending beyond the short period known as the puerperium.

Future postpartum wellness holds promise for diverse services—spaces, platforms, products—that help both individuals and their communities enjoyably build literacy.

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