What is the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy in maternal care? This is one of the most common questions we hear from providers, students, and hospital teams every year. The answer matters as maternal rehab becomes a greater priority in hospitals, clinics, telehealth, and home-based care. In this live panel discussion, experienced OTs and PTs will share how their roles overlap and where they are distinct in supporting recovery during pregnancy and after birth, including postpartum complications and Cesarean recovery. We will explore case examples from acute care, home health, and outpatient settings, and discuss how both professions can collaborate to improve function, safety, and quality of life for mothers. What you will learn: The scope of OT vs PT practice in maternal health Key similarities and differences in evaluation and treatment approaches How interprofessional collaboration improves recovery outcomes Real-world examples from hospital to home Bring your questions for a lively Q&A. Whether you are a provider, student, or administrator, this session will give you clarity on the unique and complementary roles of OT and PT in maternal care. REGISTER HERE

Some clinicians believe that any rehab setting outside of an outpatient women’s health clinic provides subpar care to mothers during pregnancy and after birth. But what happens when hospitalists, OB/GYNs, nurses, and other maternal health providers recognize the value of having a rehab professional on their care team during a high-risk pregnancy admission, or when a new mother is experiencing functional impairments before hospital discharge? What do you do when local providers want to start offering rehab services in the home within the first weeks of postpartum recovery, while mothers are still healing and bonding with their newborn? How do you respond when your hospital system wants to extend perinatal triage services through telehealth rehab to reduce postpartum readmissions and connect patients to earlier guidance on mobility and recovery? Would you say, “No. Refer your patients to me when they’re ready for outpatient women’s health rehab.” Of course not. In our monthly meeting, designed for Perinatal Health Specialist Certification members, we will answer live questions on how to build maternal rehab services across diverse settings to meet patients across the continuum of care and improve maternal health outcomes earlier than the current standard. Topics will include how to identify the right setting for the care a patient is seeking, strategies for building referral networks across disciplines, billing considerations, collaboration with other providers, and practical approaches to improving maternal function and recovery with earlier access to rehab. PHS-C Members: Bring your questions about clinical practice, program assignments, and connect certification objectives with real-life applications. REGISTER HERE