title: Improved adequacy of prenatal care and healthcare utilization among low-income Latinas receiving group prenatal care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the CenteringPregnancy group prenatal care model in improving maternal and child health outcomes, satisfaction with prenatal care, and engagement in prenatal care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant Hispanic women ≤20 weeks gestation initiating prenatal care at two Palm Beach County, Florida, public health clinics selected CenteringPregnancy or traditional prenatal care. Data on postpartum visit compliance, establishment of a medical home, child emergency room visits, satisfaction with prenatal care, and engagement in prenatal care were obtained through surveys conducted 3 months post-delivery (n=176; 129 CenteringPregnancy, 47 traditional). Data on prenatal care visits were obtained through abstraction of Palm Beach County Health Department medical records (n=214; 144 CenteringPregnancy, 70 traditional).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences were found in satisfaction with prenatal care (84.3 Centering vs. 64.9 traditional, p<.001) and engagement in (39.7 vs. 28.1, p<.001). Centering participants had higher expected prenatal care ratios than traditional care participants (101.9 vs. 83.1, p<.001) and higher percentages receiving adequate prenatal care (90% vs. 63%, p<.001). Centering recipients were more likely to establish a medical home for their child (77% vs. 53%, p<.01) and have a postpartum checkup within six weeks of delivery (99% vs. 94%, p=.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CenteringPregnancy improves engagement in prenatal care and healthcare utilization outcomes for low-income Latinas. Given disparities that exist between perinatal Latinas and women from other racial/ethnic groups, CenteringPregnancy should be considered as an alternative to traditional 1-on-1 prenatal care for this population.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: S Darius
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Tandon
authors.forename: Fallon
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cluxton-Keller
authors.forename: Lucinda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Colon
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vega
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D005865:Gestational Age; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010358:Patient Participation; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058996:Quality Improvement; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult