Ancient cliché wisdom has always known: “It takes a village to raise a child.” But we’re fast learning that this truth doesn’t just begin at birth. It seems as true during pregnancy as it is after baby’s here. Backed by research and outcomes, this old insight is inspiring a growing trend in obstetrics—group prenatal care.
Group prenatal care makes sure that when you’re with-child, you’re with-community too. The idea, popularized by groups like Centering Pregnancy, follows the traditional practice of one-on-one prenatal visits but adds a group education and connection element as well. These sessions, led by Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are typically two hours, which means they give participating women on average 10X more face time with their provider. That’s 10X the opportunities to bring up concerns, ask questions and receive full, nuanced answers.
How does group prenatal care work?
Groups are made up of about 10 women, who all have similar due dates. Each session begins with a self-assessment and private check-in with the provider. Then, everyone comes together for interactive sharing, activities, and discussion. At some sessions, outside experts are brought in as guest speakers. Discussion topics include: emotional and physical changes, nutrition and exercise, stress and self-care, preparing for labor and birth, breastfeeding, and newborn care. Just like traditional prenatal care, partners are welcome to attend.
For some women, pregnancy can be an isolating experience. Even with the most empathetic friends, family, colleagues or partner, you’re still the only one in the room who’s growing a person inside of you! It’s a lot of emotional and physical change to go through in nine months. Group prenatal care eliminates some of that isolation—empowering moms-to-be to learn, grow and complain about their ballooning ankles together, with other women who are right there with them. Unsurprisingly, the supportive nature of group prenatal care has proven to reduce rates of postpartum depression in the mothers who participate.
It’s all about building a network of support, knowledge, and camaraderie. It’s not uncommon for group prenatal care to produce lasting friendships full of future advice calls, baby showers and play dates. Kira Weier, a Certified Nurse-Midwife at Park Nicollet, has a Centering Pregnancy group that “still gets together for play dates, and keeps in touch regularly even though several families are living in different states and one family even moved overseas.” The group’s babies are now in fourth grade.
The babies benefit, too
On top of more knowledgeable, prepared and empowered parents, group prenatal care results in healthier babies. One Yale School of Public Health study found that women who participated in group prenatal care were 33% less likely to have infants who were small for their gestational age. Group care babies spent fewer days in neonatal intensive care units as well. Also, it’s shown to nearly eliminate racial disparities in important categories like preterm birth.
Finding your village
Local health systems HealthPartners and Park Nicollet each offer a nurse-midwife-led group prenatal care program. The programs begin when you’re about 18 weeks pregnant and continue until your big day arrives. At HealthPartners and Park Nicollet, participating families rave about group prenatal care. And from a medical perspective, the positive birth outcomes from their programs align with national trends. Among other benefits, HealthPartners and Park Nicollet have seen higher rates of breastfeeding success, decreased numbers of emergency room visits, and lower rates of preterm birth and low birth weight.
From every angle—clinical, emotional, and communal—group prenatal care has proven itself locally and nationally as a path toward happy, healthy moms and babies.
To sign up for a Partners in Pregnancy group at HealthPartners, call 612-341-4908.
To sign up for a CenteringPregnancy group at Park Nicollet, call 952-993-3528.
*Group schedules vary by clinic location.
