Patient and provider perspectives on the use of patient portals during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

This article examines patient and provider perspectives on the use of patient portals to support prenatal and postpartum care at an academic medical center offering the MyChart outpatient portal. Interviews with 30 pregnant or postpartum patients and 15 obstetric care providers revealed that portals facilitate convenient communication, improve access to test results and appointment management, aid medication tracking, reduce anxiety, and promote patient involvement in care. Both groups identified challenges such as slow message response times, difficulty interpreting medical information, and limitations in directing messages to specific providers. Opportunities for improvement include tailoring educational materials to pregnancy stages, incorporating patient-generated health data, and enhancing postpartum engagement through portal use. The study highlights the potential of patient portals to positively impact obstetric care while noting the need to address disparities in portal access and usability.