CenteringPregnancy March of Dimes Texas Chapter

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CenteringPregnancyMarch of Dimes Texas Chapter

• How providing funds, training, and support for
  sites is making a difference in the lives of
  Texas families.
• CityMatCH Conference
• August 26, 2007
• Amy Johnson-Rubio, MPA
• ajrubio_at_marchofdimes.com

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Goals/Objectives of March of DimesCenteringPregna
ncy Initiative

• Improve birth outcomes, increase social support,
  and increase prenatal care utilization using
  CenteringPregnancy
• Implement in 18 sites by 12/08
• Impact 1000 births by 12/08
• Complete evaluation by 12/08
• Develop long-term plan by 12/07

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History of CenteringPregnancy Initiative

• Targets diverse audience
• Addresses prenatal care compliance/adequacy
• Reaches women across Texas
• Three-year pilot initiative
• Partners systems utilized
• CPPA, Texas Womans University, UT Tyler, March
  of Dimes volunteers/staff

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Site Recruitment CenteringPregnancy Initiative

• Request for Applications
• Released 4 times resulting in 14 funded sites
• Training offered prior to proposal development
• Targeted presentations to potential sites

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Results/Impact of CenteringPregnancy Initiative

• Yale University study
• Research Hypotheses for Texas Study Among
  pregnant women who participate in the CP program
• Social support is inversely related to maternal
  stress.
• Maternal stress is inversely related to the total
  number of CP sessions attended.
• Social support and maternal stress explain
  variation in infant birth weight.
• African American women have higher infant birth
  weights than the state of Texas avg. for African
  American women.

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Results/Impact of CenteringPregnancy Initiative
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Results/Impact of CenteringPregnancy Initiative
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Limitations/Barriers of CenteringPregnancy
Initiative

• Challenging to educate/recruit sites
• Lack of published data
• New concept in Texas
• Length of implementation timeline
• IRB approval
• Project planning phase

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Opportunities to Replicate CenteringPregnancy
Initiative

• Involve volunteers
• Identify financial resources
• Partner with Centering Pregnancy and Parenting
  Association
• Identify project point person

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Next Steps/Conclusions CenteringPregnancy
Initiative

• Complete Texas evaluation
• Devise plan for long-term support
• Consider opportunities for collaboration
• Among March of Dimes chapters
• With key partner organizations