ACHD becomes seventh designated site in North Carolina, third in Triad
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 9, 2012
BURLINGTON – It’s official. Expectant mothers in Alamance County now officially have access, closer to home, to one of the latest prenatal care options that has been proven to improve birth outcomes.
The Centering Healthcare Institute (CHI), based in Boston, recently granted the Alamance County Health Department full certification as a provider of the CenteringPregnancy® program. By achieving certification as an official provider, the health department has successfully implemented all 13 Essential Elements of the CenteringPregnancy® model of care.
CenteringPregnancy® is an innovative prenatal program that allows patients to see the same provider throughout their pregnancies, participate in their own care, eliminate wait time, and meet other pregnant women with similar due dates. Women are given the chance to discuss topics important to them during their pregnancies and form friendships and support that last beyond the pregnancy, while at the same time receiving high quality prenatal check-ups.
The program has been implemented in a wide range of settings nationally from private OB offices to local health departments and has been associated with lower preterm delivery rates, increased breastfeeding rates, and higher patient satisfaction.
Previously, those seeking an officially designated CenteringPregnancy® provider had to travel to Durham or Winston-Salem.
“Certification has been a long process, but we are absolutely delighted that CHI has bestowed this achievement on the health department’s program,” said Karen Saxer, nurse midwife and director of the CenteringPregnancy® at ACHD. “CenteringPregnancy® has been proven, in multiple locations around the country, to improve outcome of some of the most vulnerable babies, as well as creating supportive communities for pregnant women. It is programs like this which will help us continue to improve the health of women and children in our community.”
For more information about CenteringPregnancy® or other services provided by the ACHD Maternity Clinic, please call (336) 227-0101.