STATE AWARDS MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE $750,000 GRANT FOR PROGRAM THAT HELPS REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY
(Nashville, Tenn.) ---(September 8, 2009) --- Meharry Medical College has received a $750,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Children’s Care Coordination for a new model for prenatal care called CenteringPregnancy® which is designed to help reduce infant mortality in the state of Tennessee.
CenteringPregnancy®at Meharry is one of three group care sites in Nashville that focuses on the centering model of prenatal health care delivery. Pregnant women enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to receive their prenatal care in groups of 8-12 women whose due dates are within four weeks of each other. Groups will meet each monthly or twice monthly with their health care provider, which allows extra time for educating pregnant women regarding pregnancy changes, nutrition, breastfeeding, support and bonding among others.
“Patients spend more time with the health care provider who will facilitate discussions on health and pregnancy issues,” said Dr. Gwinnett M. Ladson, director of CenteringPregnancy® at Meharry and Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “During the group sessions patients speak openly about several topics like breastfeeding, nutrition, exercise . . . the goal is to increase the number of infants carried to term because infants born prior to 37 weeks have a higher infant mortality rate.”
Each group session, which lasts two hours, begins with a private physical assessment of each woman. After some time for snacks and socializing, the group discusses topics important to the participants. Women have opportunities to discuss their experiences and challenges, working together with their provider to find good solutions, and having fun getting to know each other.
This program was developed in 1993 by Sharon Schindler Rising, CNM, MSN, and is now used by sites all over the country. Research shows it to be a very effective way to receive prenatal care. Participating in CenteringPregnancy® group care allows most patients ten times more time with their provider, a community of friends, an opportunity to actively participate in health decisions, plenty of time to discuss questions, and an enjoyable, fun prenatal visit. It eliminates the need for extra classes and waiting for appointments to start.
CenteringPregnancy® at Meharry also provides special services for pregnant teens with a focus on ensuring high school graduation by providing tutoring and special appointment times after school.
To find out more about enrolling in this program, please contact CenteringPregnancy® at Meharry Medical College at 615-321-2962 .
About Meharry Medical College
Meharry Medical College is the nation’s largest private, independent, historically black academic health center dedicated solely to educating minority and other health professionals. True to its heritage, it is a United Methodist Church affiliated institution. The College is particularly well known for its uniquely nurturing, highly effective educational programs; emerging preeminence in health disparities research; culturally sensitive, evidence-based health services; and significant contribution to the diversity of the nation’s health professions workforce. Diverse Issues in Higher Education’s ranking of institutions annually lists Meharry as a leading national educator of African Americans with M.D. and D.D.S. degrees, and Ph.D. degrees in the biomedical sciences. Visit www.mmc.edu to learn more.
Contact: Janet M. Caldwell, 615.500.0632; jcaldwell@mmc.edu
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