Initiation of Group Prenatal Care in the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program Group prenatal care has been piloted in the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment as an intervention designed to improve psychosocial outcomes in a high‐risk population. The Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment is a unique, referral‐based program for women whose pregnancies are complicated by prenatally diagnosed fetal anomalies. These women receive prenatal care and give birth in the same facility where their neonates receive postnatal care. This intervention is based on the premise that group care is most effective and efficient when groups are facilitated rather than taught. Proposed Change Group prenatal care at the Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment represents a care delivery system that is an alternative to the medical illness model of pregnancy and encompasses care for the fetus and mother. Applying principles from the Centering Pregnancy model, sessions consist of health assessment, education, and support for four to six expectant mothers with high‐risk pregnancies and their support persons in a group setting, facilitated by a midwife and a nurse. This is the first time this model of care is being piloted with this patient population. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation Five cohorts, each including four to six women and their support persons, received their last 4 weeks of prenatal care within the group setting. Evaluations have been conducted using questionnaires and focus groups. Results indicated a high level of patient satisfaction with the model, increased encounter time with providers, and greater ability to access support in response to changes and setbacks. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses are positioned to play key roles in group prenatal care as facilitators and providers. Group prenatal care provides a unique opportunity for the bedside nurse and the advance practice nurse to partner in the delivery of care and the evaluation and research of this innovative practice. The framework of group prenatal care allows for interdisciplinary collaboration in the delivery of high‐quality, evidence‐based patient care.