A subsidized perinatal care program in a rural Colorado county.
A large number of medically indigent women in rural areas currently receive little or no prenatal care, raising major concerns regarding perinatal health. In Colorado, subsidized prenatal and labor/delivery programs have been instituted to address this problem. This article describes the implementation of two programs in one rural county. In these rural programs, private physicians, health department personnel, and social work staff at the local hospital collaborate to provide financial assistance, comprehensive health education, and quality medical care for eligible pregnant women. The identified benefits and barriers unique to the provision of quality perinatal care in rural settings are discussed.
D003120:Colorado; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010500:Perinatology / Q000458:organization & administration; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000191:economics*; D012423:Rural Health