Introduction of CenteringPregnancy in a Public Health Clinic

CenteringPregnancy is a promising group visit prenatal care innovation that provides substantial health promotion content. Elements unique to group care include peer Support and self-management training and activities. CenteringPregnancy was introduced at a large public health clinic serving predominantly low-income African American pregnant women. All prenatal care at this clinic was provided by certified nurse-midwives, and all providers were trained in the CenteringPregnancy model. One hundred and ten women received prenatal care in CenteringPregnancy groups. Focus groups of pregnant women, providers, and health center staff reported that the program benefited women despite implementation challenges such as scheduling changes. Compared to women in individual care, women in CenteringPregnancy had significantly more prenatal visits, increased weight gain, increased breast feeding rates, and higher overall satisfaction. This pilot project demonstrated that CenteringPregnancy can be implemented in a busy public health clinic serving predominantly low-income pregnant women and is associated with positive health outcomes. J Midwifery Womens Health 2009;54:27-34 (C) 2009 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.