New research: CenteringPregnancy® proven to improve health outcomes

BOSTON, Dec. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI) applauds the findings in the American Journal of Public Health article Group Prenatal Care: Cluster RCT of Perinatal and Reproductive Health Outcomes among Adolescents in Urban Health Centers conducted by Ickovics, et al. The RCT involved 14 health centers in New York City and 1148 women, majority African American, in CenteringPregnancy Plus. The findings show women in CenteringPregnancy Plus were less likely to experience low birth weight, a preterm birth or a rapid repeat pregnancy. CenteringPregnancy Plus women had fewer NICU admissions and of those admitted, fewer NICU days.

CenteringPregnancy Plus is CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care with an added focus on sexual health, safe sex and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention. The added component of sexual health education in CenteringPregnancy Plus resulted in a 50% reduction in rapid repeat pregnancy and decreased STI contraction among all women in the group as compared to one-on-one care.

"We are pleased that the results underscore the improvement in birth outcomes that we continue to see from our many sites across the US," says coauthor Sharon Rising, founder of CHI and the Centering model of care. These outcomes are reported through CenteringCounts™, CHI's practice site quality assurance tracking and data collection tool. 

This study adds to a growing body of findings that CenteringPregnancy reduces the risk of premature birth by 33% to 47% compared to one-on-one care. Outcomes are even more significant for women with disparities. More than 500,000 babies are born prematurely in the United States each year, an estimated annual cost to the healthcare system of $26 billion. 

In CenteringPregnancy, pregnant women with similar due dates join together in a group with their healthcare provider for prenatal care. All components of prenatal care, health assessment, interactive learning and community building are in a group setting. There is facilitated discussion of pregnancy, birth and newborn care, overall health, and many other topics.

Centering Healthcare Institute is a non-profit organization that supports clinical practice sites that offer the Centering model and advocates for the model nationally. For more information visit www.centeringhealthcare.org.

Media Contact: 
Shannon Sullivan
[email protected] 
(857) 284-7570

SOURCE Centering Healthcare Institute

Related Links

http://www.centeringhealthcare.org