Date of Award
Spring 5-4-2024
Document Type
Oral Presentation/Poster
Degree Name
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Faculty Mentor
Karen Hebert, PhD, OTR/L
Second Advisor
James Born
Keywords
Occupational therapy, pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood, maternal health
Subject Categories
Occupational Therapy | Rehabilitation and Therapy
Abstract
During pregnancy and postpartum, women are at increased risk for physical and psychological health concerns due to the changes and challenges that come with the transition. The purpose of this 14-week capstone was to develop and implement educational sessions using occupational therapy concepts and integrate them into a community parenting program to ease the transition during the perinatal period. It also aimed to advocate for the role of occupational therapy in pregnancy and postpartum. Methods included preparing and sharing supplemental educational materials, developing and implementing occupation-based sessions, creating a folder of resources, and developing a manuscript advocating for occupational therapy by illustrating a model intervention program in pregnancy and postpartum. The outcomes of this project indicate that occupation-based sessions can be beneficial in increasing knowledge about the profession of occupational therapy, increasing the likelihood of seeking occupational therapy services, and ensuring satisfaction with session quality and content. The value of occupational therapy education in the perinatal period is also shown in the results.
Recommended Citation
Drexler, Alison, "Empowering Pregnancy and Postpartum: Supporting Motherhood Through Occupational Therapy Education" (2024). Occupational Therapy Capstone Presentations. 109.
https://red.library.usd.edu/ot-capstone/109