Centering Pregnancy

 The Centering Pregnancy Program alters routine prenatal care by bringing women out of exam rooms and into groups for their care.  Women have their initial intake into obstetrical care in usual manner with history and physical exam occurring within the office/clinic space.  Then they are invited to join with 6-10 other women/couples/teens with similar due dates in meeting together regularly during their pregnancy.  The groups optimally form between 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy and continue through the early postpartum period meeting every month for the first 4 months then bi-weekly.

As women come to the group, they engage in self-care activities of weight and blood pressure, estimation of gestation age and recording on their chart.  With a practitioner, they listen to their baby’s heartbeat, check for uterine growth and talk individually about specific problems and concerns.  They complete self-assessment sheets that serve as a stimulus for the subsequent group discussions.

Together with other group members they share discussing topics of interest related to pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and personal growth.

Groups are facilitated by the practitioner or a professional skilled in group leadership and knowledgeable of the topics.   The opportunity to meet together for 10, 90-minute sessions with the same group of expectant parents allows for continued  sharing and development of a support network which often extends well-into the childbearing period.  These 15 hours together over several months also provides the practitioner with an extraordinary opportunity to observe and interact with the woman/couples in the group.  There are many benefits of the program for clients, professionals and agencies.

The Centering Pregnancy Program is a model of empowerment.  Empowerment to women to take control of their bodies, their pregnancies, and their families and empowerment to health care providers to share their care-giving with their clients