A cost-savings analysis of prenatal interventions.
Proper prenatal care has long been established as the single most important factor in improving both maternal and infant health (Henderson 1994) yet the United States remains one of only two industrialized nations that have yet to ensure universal healthcare for pregnant women (National Center for Farmworker Health, Inc. 1997). Through clinical innovations, many progressive interventions now available are not only medically effective but also financially prudent. This study addresses the efficacy and feasibility and discusses the policy implications of the following four prenatal programs: universal prenatal screening for the human immunodeficiency virus, prenatal carrier screening for cystic fibrosis, condition-specific care for pregnant diabetics, and prenatal nutrition counseling. The healthcare community is challenged to expand the breadth of routine prenatal care to include those services that are both financially sensible and clinically imperative.
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D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D017046:Cost Savings; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003376:Counseling; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005820:Genetic Testing; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008484:Medicaid; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States