by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM
Is prenatal breastfeeding education more effective when delivered during group prenatal care vs individual prenatal care?
According to a new American College of OB/Gyn Opinion on Group Prenatal Care, the goals of prenatal care are to prevent poor perinatal outcomes and to provide education and support during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Barriers to individual prenatal care include accessibility to physicians or other providers, long wait times in the office, and minimal opportunity for education during the individual visits. In addition to affordable, accessible prenatal care, benefits to group prenatal care include opportunities for social support, and more time for education.
The Centering Pregnancy Program is the model of group prenatal care that has been studied the most and is used internationally. The program involves a group of 8-10 participants and an obstetric physician/provider who meet together every 2-4 weeks for 10 visits starting in the second trimester. Each session allows for socializing, individual assessment for each participant by the obstetrical provider, and facilitated discussion of topics. Discussion topics include childbirth preparation, nutrition, exercise, health self-awareness, stress management, contraception, and breastfeeding, among others.
What do you think are true statements regarding group prenatal care, according to the ACOG opinion? Choose 1 or more:
- Participants have better prenatal knowledge.
- Group prenatal care increases patient satisfaction of overall care.
- Group prenatal care decreases the risk of preterm birth among African American women.
- There is evidence that breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates are higher for women who participate in group prenatal care.
- Group prenatal care is not a good fit for every patient so should not be mandatory.
See the Answer
Answers: all are correct
Read the ACOG Opinion
Milk Mob Comment by Anne Eglash MD, IBCLC, FABM
Breastfeeding education for pregnant women is crucial for breastfeeding success, but is challenging to deliver. It is ideal for obstetricians and other obstetrical providers to help mothers make an informed infant feeding decision, and to provide comprehensive education about breastfeeding. This does not seem realistic in the individual prenatal care model, because physicians are not knowledgeable enough about breastfeeding, and even if they are, they don’t have time to provide this education during individual visits. The group model is a stellar way to provide uniform, consistent breastfeeding education. Childbirth classes have been 1 way of providing breastfeeding education, but because childbirth classes are apart from prenatal care, many pregnant women have not participated for various reasons. It will be interesting to see over time how Centering Pregnancy and other group prenatal care models impact breastfeeding success over time, if group prenatal care becomes a more mainstream standard of care. At this point in our society, group prenatal care appears to be the most practical model for prenatal breastfeeding education.
Sally Corden, MD
We had a similar program called Baby Club for new moms and babies from birth through the six-month preventive care visit at Kaiser Redwood City (CA) in the early 90’s. It was run by a pediatrician and a nurse practitioner, starting with a group meeting of ~8 mother/baby pairs, then breaking up for individual exams/vaccines. It was very popular, but not mandatory. Friendships blossomed among the moms and play groups were formed after the babies graduated from the program.
Sharon
I am in total agreement with these statements. I began Centering Pregnancy on he Hospital I currently working on with our mothers in the clinic. The moot here were predominantly AA and they loved ,learned and grew close relationships because of this type of PNC
Sheryl
We have started to look into this model for our breastfeeding support group that kind of functions like a walk-in Breastfeeding ER most days – especially for the new moms.
Gabrielle Volkmer
I was so blessed to have CenteringPregnancy available to me for my prenatal care. I loved it! It was so fun to make friends and get to discuss all things birth, postpartum, baby and breastfeeding.