First At-Home Postpartum Lab Test Aims to Empower Moms

Birth isn’t the end of the maternal health journey; it’s often just the beginning. One in three women worldwide face lasting health problems after childbirth, from hormonal shifts and heart issues to back pain, incontinence and postpartum anxiety or depression. And in the US, where postpartum care often falls through the cracks, many of these issues can quickly balloon into life-threatening issues, contributing to the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations.

Despite 84% of these maternal deaths being preventable, and over half occurring postpartum, this critical stage remains underfunded and overlooked. But as more women lead innovation in health and tech, new tools are emerging. The latest: an at-home lab test designed to support postpartum recovery with a proactive, personalized approach.

What The First At-Home Postpartum Lab Test Has to Offer

Trellis Health, a digital health company committed to putting more women back in charge of their health (think easy access to all your medical records, on-demand care, etc.), announced the release of the first FDA-cleared, at-home postpartum lab test on July 29. The curated biomarker panel is the first designed specifically with postpartum health in mind and covers hormones, thyroid, inflammation, nutrient levels, cardiovascular health and organ function.

Not only is the blood test designed to be collected from home in just thirty minutes, but results from accredited labs are delivered to doctors ahead of the standard six-week postpartum visit. “With the six-week postpartum visit often being the only scheduled check-in, many women lack meaningful data or guidance until symptoms become chronic issues,” Trellis said in their release. “When that visit finally comes, there’s no lab work, no baseline data, and no clear picture of how their body is healing.”

Trellis Health co-founder and CEO, Estelle Giraud, PhD, told The Bump that having data and labs ready to discuss during the six-week checkup can provide a valuable opportunity to discuss health insights with a doctor, serving as an entry point to identify potential issues in the system that might otherwise go unnoticed.

“Six weeks is a perfect moment to catch things like nutrient deficiencies before they spiral into fatigue, mood and lactation issues,” Giraud said. “For example, body signals like Vitamin D, iron, folate, B12, and calcium can all be impacted by natural parts of postpartum, like lactation, but can be corrected with easy interventions if needed. Six weeks is also a key inflection point in stabilizing thyroid hormones and can pick up early hypo or hyper thyroid phases to watch.”

Ob-gyn Insights Into Postpartum Testing and Health

Taking a proactive approach to maternal health and postpartum health is something Christine Greves, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at the Orlando Health Women’s Institute, is excited to see, but she believes there still remains much to be seen about the new panel and how it will be interpreted.

While Giraud explains that Trellis’ postpartum panel was designed in collaboration with world-class physicians, clinicians and researchers, and the at-home collection device has been used in clinical trials for years, Greves awaits the panel to be reviewed by a professional medical organization like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for safety and effectiveness.

There is also concern that the results from the test may not reflect the dynamic process happening during postpartum. “Hormone levels and other lab values can fluctuate widely throughout the day and during the first few weeks of the postpartum period, with the goal generally being recovery and healing daily to get back to one’s non-pregnant state,” Greves adds.

“Everyone’s postpartum journey is unique, and it’s critical that they develop a relationship with an ob-gyn that they know and trust to determine what they need,” Greves told The Bump. She emphasizes that at six-week postpartum appointments, doctors screen for heart health risk, mood disorders and every postpartum patient gets their hemoglobin checked. Based on those screenings, other labs can be ordered.

At the base of each medical decision should be a conversation with your doctor. “If you are considering this test, talk to your doctor about how it could provide value to you while keeping in mind that lab values may vary widely,” Greves says.

What Parents Need to Know

In a world that at best quickly brushes by women’s health and at worst ignores the concerns of mothers, Trellis’ first at-home postpartum lab test provides an exciting way for parents to take more ownership of their care.

While there’s still much to learn and see about how the test will work, what information will be relevant and how doctors and patients can connect to parse through and understand it all, an investment in women’s health that allows for moms to be more involved stakeholders in their care is undoubtedly positive.

Greves reassures parents that with or without the new test, open communication with your doctor and scheduled postpartum follow-ups remain the best way to ensure your postpartum health.

Trellis’ at-home postpartum lab test is available to all Trellis members (membership comes free with a postpartum lab order) to pre-order in pregnancy or anytime postpartum at JoinTrellisHealth.com. The test runs around $250 and is eligible for payment with HSA/FSA. Committed to supporting women and removing barriers to access, those unable to pay can contact support@jointrellishealth.com to apply for their financial hardship program.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.