Stay Home, Stay Connected: Providing Supplemental Education and Psychosocial Support for Pregnant People [ID: 1375777

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The traditional medical model of prenatal care may miss opportunities for anticipatory guidance and psychosocial support for pregnant people. We describe Stay Home, Stay Connected (SHSC), a virtual, service-learning, pregnancy support group that supplements routine prenatal care. METHODS: Stay Home, Stay Connected was implemented during the acute COVID-19 pandemic and updated in January 2022 in keeping with relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. The program consists of monthly small-group sessions with 8–10 pregnant people at similar gestational age, led by an obstetric provider (eg, physician, midwife) and medical, midwifery, and social work students. Recorded group classes on mental health and wellness are available on-demand. In our IRB-exempt assessment of SHSC patients from January 2022 to October 2022, we obtained consent and collected surveys at enrollment and after sessions to assess participants' reasons for joining and overall satisfaction. RESULTS: Since program updates, 80 patients have participated in 5 small groups, led by 4 providers and 8 students. Of the 80 patients registered for SHSC, 65 (81%) completed the enrollment survey. The top reasons for joining SHSC were desire for extra support, more information about pregnancy, and connection with other patients. The majority of participants who completed satisfaction surveys, reported sessions were helpful to their learning (32/34, 94%) and feeling supported (25/26, 96%). All participants surveyed reported they would recommend SHSC to other pregnant patients. CONCLUSION: A virtual service-learning pregnancy support group remains feasible and acceptable for participants after the acute COVID-19 pandemic. We are continuing to expand and develop SHSC to fulfill unmet needs in pregnancy.