Home Visiting Program Focuses on High-Risk Pregnant Women and Infants

Submitted to NEW ERA
In 2021, the national maternal mortality rate was 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Women in rural areas, with populations less than 50,000 people, face maternal mortality risks up to 50% higher than their urban counterparts.
Infants in these areas are also at higher risk of mortality with rates 15% higher. Post neonatal infants (28–364 days of age) have mortality rates 50% higher in rural counties compared with large metropolitan counties. These numbers from CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease article published last year are unacceptable, and must be reduced.
The West Central Health District’s new Home Visiting Program hopes to do just that. The program provides clinical services by registered nurses to expectant mothers from pregnancy through the first year of their baby’s life. The program focuses on assisting pregnant women with high-risk conditions or risk factors that increase the likelihood of poor pregnancy outcomes. Early intervention is the preferred time for enrollment, however, clients are accepted after delivery. Some of the services provided include:
• Clinical assessment of mother and baby
• Care coordination
• Case management
• Education for high-risk pregnant women and their families
• Referrals to other needed resources
Patients are monitored and services are delivered to detect potential warning signs, complications, and problems between provider appointments. Some conditions are listed below:
Maternal patients with:
• Hypertension or Gestational Hypertension
• Preeclampsia
• Diabetes
• Multiple gestation
• Prior pre-term delivery
• Preterm labor
• Poor support system
• Substance use disorder
Infants with:
• Recent NICU discharge
• Very Low Birth Weight or Low Birth Weight
• Less than 36 weeks gestation at delivery
• Positive maternal screening for substances at delivery
• Suspected or confirmed congenital syphilis or HIV infection
• Poor maternal support system or other environmental concerns
There is no cost for services to patients or providers who refer their patients. For more information on these programs, call 706-392-8133, or visit https://westcentralhealthdistrict.com/programs-services/dph-home-visiting-program/.