Swedish Covenant Hospital’s Nurse-Midwifery group recently announced the launch of a CenteringPregnancy program, allowing expecting mothers with similar due dates and their providers to develop long-lasting relationships with one another in a comfortable group setting.
The CenteringPregnancy program brings together groups of women to discuss important topics, including current or expected discomforts, stress and anxiety, proper nutrition, labor and delivery and breastfeeding. The program exceeds the recommended standard of 10 prenatal visits by extending the sessions from an hour and a half to two hours in length.
“Our CenteringPregnancy program provides the women in our community with the most comprehensive birthing resources available,” said Director of Midwifery Services Katherine Willey, CNM. “The program has proven to be a highly effective method for educating expecting mothers about the birthing process and what follows, ensuring that they have the knowledge and tools that they need to succeed with confidence.”
According to evidence-based research completed by the
American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), deliveries completed by certified-nurse midwives can result in a lower rate of cesarean birth, lower rates of labor induction, lower use of regional anesthesia and higher rates of breastfeeding on average. A large part of this success is credited to certified nurse-midwifery groups such as Swedish Covenant Hospital’s emphasis on reducing delivery risks through prenatal education and a more hands-on approach and a closer supportive relationship with their provider.
Studies cited by the Centering Healthcare Institute reveal that in addition to the benefits of traditional midwifery, CenteringPregnancy can decrease the rate of preterm and low-weight babies and assist in
reducing racial disparities in preterm birth, an important factor in determining the necessity of a program of this caliber in the diverse community of Swedish Covenant Hospital.
To learn more about the nurse-midwifery group at Swedish Covenant Hospital, please visit the
midwifery services page.
