CenteringPregnancy® Group Care for Expecting Mothers
PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center and The Vancouver Clinic (TVC) are joining together to offer the first CenteringPregnancy® program in Southwest Washington. Centering is an innovative way for women to receive prenatal care in a group setting. The nationally recognized model of care is proven to improve birth outcomes, reduce the risk of premature births and increase breastfeeding rates.
Centering optimizes prenatal appointments by offering more time with caregivers, increased educational opportunities and community building in a group setting. Women with similar due dates participate in 10 group sessions led by a certified nurse midwife. The sessions last two hours each and include up to 12 women.
The first group is set to start in October and registration is currently open. To register or learn more, visit PeaceHealth’s website, or call 360-TVC-APPT (360-882-2778).
“We are delighted to offer Centering at PeaceHealth Southwest to help improve birth outcomes throughout Southwest Washington,” said Linda Licata, director of women’s and children’s services at PeaceHealth Southwest. “In addition to the range of health services and programs we offer to women, our collaboration with TVC to offer Centering is yet another way we can work to support mothers every step of the way.”
More than 500,000 babies are born prematurely in the United States each year, an estimated lifetime cost to society of $26 billion. A 2007 multi-site randomized controlled trial conducted by Yale and Emory researchers found that participation in Centering reduced the risk of premature birth by 33 percent compared to traditional prenatal care.
“TVC is excited to be working together with PeaceHealth Southwest to offer Centering to the women of Clark County,” said Alfred Seekamp, MD, chief medical officer for TVC. “It is our goal to help make our community healthier, and what better way to start than with babies before they are born.”
For more information on Centering, visit the Centering Healthcare Institute’s website.
Press release contributed by PeaceHealth.
