Group sessions, the foundation of the CenteringPregnancy program, offer pregnant women 10 times as much contact with InterMed’s provider team.

An innovative program is bringing prenatal care out of the exam room and into a group setting, with the promise of better results for both mother and baby.

CenteringPregnancy, a program offered by InterMed Women’s Health, will bring 8-12 pregnant women and their partners who are due around the same time together for routine prenatal care. Each of the 10 visits is 90 minutes to two hours long—giving women 10 times as much contact with their provider team.

During each visit, the women engage in their care by taking their weight and blood pressure, recording their own health data, and having private time with their provider. The balance of the session is a facilitated discussion on pregnancy-related health topics.

“CenteringPregnancy gives expectant mothers an opportunity to connect, bond, and learn from each other, as well as their provider,” says Jennifer Pofahl, MD, Chief of Women’s Health at InterMed. “Benefits include a decrease in both pre-term births and low birth weight, improved breastfeeding success rates, and decreased rates of postpartum depression.”

Traditional one-to-one prenatal care will still be offered to patients that prefer this type of care.

InterMed’s CenteringPregnancy program begins in April with women expecting to deliver in October. Interested moms-to-be can learn more at our CenteringPregnancy page or by calling (207) 874-2445.