Methods
This is a mixed methods analysis of implementation data within an ongoing randomized controlled trial (RCT) of postpartum patient navigation for low-income individuals, defined as receiving Medicaid-funded prenatal care. In this RCT, Navigating New Motherhood 2 (NNM2), eligible pregnant and postpartum individuals who consent to participation are enrolled as an outpatient (after 30 weeks of gestation) or prior to hospital discharge following delivery and randomized to receive either navigation or usual care for one year after birth. Individuals randomized to navigation receive personalized support from lay individuals trained as postpartum navigators. This tailored support includes activities such as care coordination, health education and health behavior support, communication with medical teams, and individualized attention to social determinants of health that may pose challenges to postpartum health and health care. Over four years, 400 pregnant or postpartum individuals will be enrolled to assess whether postpartum navigation improves clinical outcomes such as retention in care, receipt of contraception, and breastfeeding initiation, as compared to usual care (NCT03922334) [This pre-planned analysis assessed the implementation of navigation for the first 50 individuals randomized to the navigation arm of NNM2. We had an 