Study identifies barriers to postpartum home blood pressure monitoring

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 women who had experienced a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy. Interviews took place between January and December 2025. The team used rapid qualitative analysis guided by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) model to examine factors influencing postpartum home blood pressure monitoring, including measurement, sharing readings with clinicians and taking blood pressure medication.

Reported barriers included gaps in knowledge about measurement technique and future cardiovascular risks, reduced memory and attention after delivery, competing newborn-care demands, disrupted routines, fragmented postpartum care, limited insurance coverage for cuffs, and anxiety or trauma related to delivery. Participants identified prior knowledge of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, linking measurement to daily routines, in-office cuff validation, automatic transmission of readings to the electronic health record, healthcare-team accountability and motivation to remain healthy for their children as potential facilitators.

The findings identify possible targets for implementation strategies, but do not test whether any particular approach improves monitoring or outcomes. The study was conducted at one institution, and its qualitative findings are intended to inform future intervention development rather than establish effectiveness or generalizability.