Redesigning prenatal care through CenteringPregnancy

CenteringPregnancy is a model of group prenatal care that provides more than 20 hours of contact time between the childbearing care provider and a cohort of pregnant women with similar due dates. During this time, each woman has the opportunity to build community with other pregnant women, learn self-care skills, get assurance about the progression of her pregnancy, and gain knowledge about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Ten essential elements have been defined, which contribute to the success of this model of prenatal care delivery. These elements correspond with the Institute of Medicine's 2001 challenge to improve the quality of health care in the United States. Foundational perspectives provide potential explanations for the model's growing influence and success. Implications for clinical practice and further research to link it with perinatal health outcomes are suggested. (C) 2004 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.