Less than 6% of Canada’s national health research funding is dedicated to women’s health (source). BC Women’s Health Foundation (BCWHF) is proud to support the launch of a groundbreaking new digital resource, Postpartumcare.ca, as part of Women’s Health Research Month this March. Created in partnership with leading women’s health organizations, including the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI), BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre (BCWH), BC Women’s Health Foundation (BCWHF), and the University of British Columbia (UBC), this online platform offers British Columbians comprehensive support and information for postpartum individuals and their families. The website is the result of funded research to understand and address postpartum needs across the province, highlighting the impact of research in improving patient access to better care.
Prior to its launch, a SUPPORT study, led by Dr. Lori Brotto, Executive Director at WHRI and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at UBC, and a dedicated team of students, with insights from BCWH clinical experts, aimed to evaluate the effectiveness, useability, and satisfaction of the online resource in supporting mental health. Study findings exposed a critical need: new parents, often exhausted and overwhelmed, need easy access to clear, reliable and region-specific support. The study showed that engagement with Postpartumcare.ca, created in partnership with postpartum women in British Columbia, significantly reduced symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA) after four weeks, with improvements maintained after a two-week follow-up, compared to a control group.
“Research is transformational—it improves the quality of care women receive and leads to better health outcomes,” says Cally Wesson, President + CEO of the BC Women’s Health Foundation. “The launch of postpartumcare.ca is proof that investing in research is a catalyst for positive change. Continued investment in research through our foundation during Women’s Health Research Month and beyond supports the women closest to us, ensuring that they—and generations to come—can benefit and receive the care they deserve. When we invest in research, we drive breakthroughs that change lives.”
Postpartumcare.ca was driven by the experiences of people with PPD and PPA working with relevant healthcare providers. It resulted in an accessible resource that equips new parents or those supporting families who are struggling with PPD and PPA symptoms, with expert guidance, evidence-based resources, support services, or simply reassurance that these feelings are valid. Postpartumcare.ca provides visitors with access to:
“It is amazing what a small investment in research can lead to in women’s health and I’m proud of this dedicated team of students, clinicians, patient partners, and digital health experts who had a vision for improved care of women struggling with postpartum mental health symptoms, and used that vision to create this amazing tool,” says Dr. Lori Brotto, Principal Investigator of the study.
The development of this resource was made possible through the generous support of the Diamond Foundation and Gillespie Family Foundation, ensuring new parents have access to the information and support they need.
BC Women’s Health Foundation has celebrated its annual Women’s Health Research Month in March since 2023. The month explores groundbreaking solutions, ultimately envisioning a future with innovative treatments and accessible healthcare by supporting research that studies the unique needs of women in all life stages. This year, BCWHF is raising awareness of the continued need for women’s health research funding to reduce disparities through high-quality, high-impact research that will result in better health outcomes for women and newborns across the province. Future funding will enable BCWHF to continue to support the WHRI with critical research on endometriosis, menopause, and mental health. Learn more about Women’s Health Research Month and donate here.
About BC Women’s Health Foundation
BC Women’s Health Foundation (BCWHF), British Columbia’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women’s and newborn health, drives impactful care and research through partnerships with BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre—the only women’s hospital in Western Canada—and the Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI). BCWHF’s support ensures women have equitable access to high-quality healthcare whenever and wherever they need it.
From life-saving care in BC Women’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)—Canada’s largest NICU and the second largest in North America— BCWHF brings critical resources to the smallest and most vulnerable babies. Through initiatives including Women’s Health Research Month and the annual Illuminations Luncheon, BCWHF inspires community support and investment to advance women’s health outcomes. Together with our Foundation supporters, the Foundation creates bright beginnings and better futures for women and families across British Columbia. For more information, please visit bcwomensfoundation.org or follow us on Instagram at @bcwomensfdn.
About Women’s Health Research Institute
Established in 2006 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Women’s Health Research Institute (WHRI) is one of only three research institutes in Canada with an explicit focus on women’s health. It is the women’s health research arm of BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre and a UBC Faculty of Medicine Research Centre.
WHRI is devoted to improving the health and health care of girls and women through knowledge generation and translation. It serves as a catalyst for research in women’s health, supporting an expanding provincial and national network of women’s health researchers, policy makers and health care providers. WHRI strives to be equitable and inclusive in how they collaborate, in what they prioritize, and in all that they do. To achieve their goals, their research respects, works alongside, collaborates with, and supports the health of women across the 2S LGBTQIA+ spectrum.
With over 650 members, the WHRI engages research partners across the province to support, enhance, and champion women’s health research. They know that translating evidence into action is central to improving health and health care, so the WHRI has an important role to play in supporting knowledge translation (KT) initiatives.
About BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre
BC Women’s Hospital + Health Centre, a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is the province’s only facility dedicated to the health of women, newborns and families. It is one of the country’s busiest maternity centres and serves as the provincial resource for high-risk maternity care, as well as the most highly-specialized centre for the largest neonatal intensive care unit in BC. More than 50,000 women are seen annually through its specialized women and family programs, which include leading services advancing clinical care, education and research in reproductive, gynecological and sexual health, maternal substance use and mental health, reproductive infectious diseases, medical genetics and genomics, and chronic diseases. For more information, visit www.bcwomens.ca or follow us on Instagram @bcwomens.
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