Enhancing Hepatitis C Cure Rates in Postpartum Women: The Promise of Bedside Treatment

Hepatitis C remains a meaningful challenge in the postpartum period, with documented gaps in linkage to HCV care and treatment initiation.

Current hepatitis C guidance centers on direct-acting antiviral therapy, and bedside initiation is best understood as a care delivery model that operationalizes those recommendations in the postpartum setting.

The same foundation underlying bedside care also supports postpartum linkage to HCV care and can strengthen adherence to direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. A report on bedside treatment program outcomes highlights how maternal–infant linkage efforts can move more patients from diagnosis to treatment.

Studies of maternal–infant linkage programs report higher treatment initiation rates in this population, as reflected in a report on bedside treatment program outcomes. Disruption of traditional care models not only causes treatment delays but also affects maternal outcomes. Evolving integrated care strategies are effectively bridging these gaps.

By establishing a framework in which co-located services streamline access to key interventions, patients are supported to move more quickly toward timely treatment initiation. Such integration improves access and can increase engagement from screening and referral through treatment initiation.

Programs using integrated bedside models have reported higher adherence and sustained virologic response (SVR) among postpartum patients, acknowledging that these are program outcomes rather than proof of causality. Such integration improves access and can increase engagement from delivery through treatment initiation.

Using dedicated linkage pathways can reduce postnatal logistics barriers and maintain ongoing support for mothers. For patients navigating the same access barriers, bedside care can improve treatment engagement. Real-world programs have reported higher sustained virologic response (e.g., SVR12) rates, supporting the effectiveness of timely intervention in program settings.

This hands-on model appears to reduce loss to follow-up early postpartum by initiating linkage and treatment before discharge, reinforcing earlier gains in adherence and initiation. Such approaches also invite deliberate collaboration with pediatrics, social work, and care coordinators to support mother–infant dyads through parallel needs.

Implementation details matter. Sites often embed screening prompts into delivery admission workflows, standardize confirmatory RNA testing, and prepare treatment readiness assessments before discharge. Co-located pharmacy support can expedite benefits verification and prior authorization, while patient navigators schedule first follow-up within days of delivery to sustain momentum from bedside education.

Financing and authorization can be a bottleneck. Programs report success when they pre-identify payer pathways for postpartum coverage, leverage patient assistance when needed, and use batch prior-authorization templates completed at the bedside. Aligning clinic capacity with discharge timing reduces the gap between readiness and medication start.

Infant testing and follow-up must be coordinated alongside maternal treatment. Teams clarify infant HCV testing timelines, coordinate pediatric follow-up, and provide parents with written plans and reminders. Integrating maternal and infant appointments where possible reduces missed visits and supports family-centered care.

Equity considerations remain central. Barriers such as transportation, childcare, language access, and stigma can limit participation. Programs that offer flexible scheduling, telehealth check-ins, onsite interpretation, and linkage to community resources help ensure that bedside initiation benefits are accessible across diverse patient populations.

Limitations should be acknowledged. Evidence to date often comes from program evaluations and observational reports; effects may vary by setting, resources, and patient mix. Maintaining rigorous data collection, monitoring for loss to follow-up, and iterating workflows are essential to sustain and scale improvements responsibly.

Key Takeaways:

• Bedside treatment approaches can enhance timely care for postpartum women with hepatitis C.
• Studies of maternal–infant linkage programs report increases in adherence and sustained virologic response outcomes in postpartum populations.
• Clinical innovations in co-located care services can improve postpartum support and may increase cure rates.