Boston, Feb. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Racial disparities in birth outcomes in the United States are prevalent, longstanding and unjust. According to the Centering and Racial Disparities (CRADLE) Study presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine 42nd Annual Pregnancy Meeting by Dr. Amy Crockett of Prisma Health, the CenteringPregnancy® model of group prenatal care is once again shown to reduce the racial disparity between Black and white babies in both preterm birth and low birthweight outcomes. Compared to the 2020 U.S. preterm birth rate of 9.8% for white women and 14.4% for Black women, for study participants attending at least five CenteringPregnancy sessions the Cradle Study reported 8.1% for white patients and 7.7% for Black patients, a dramatic reduction in the pervasive disparity. This data further supports decades of research that Centering has a positive effect on birth outcomes, especially for Black babies.
“Improving racial equity in birth outcomes is one of the most important challenges we have in obstetrics. The CRADLE team was excited to see a reduction in racial disparities in preterm birth and low birthweight for patients in CenteringPregnancy. We still have a lot to learn about why this happens, but from my experiences leading groups I know that CenteringPregnancy creates unique opportunities for relationship-building and information sharing. It is an innovative redesign of healthcare delivery, and this study shows its potential for successfully addressing some of the root causes of the racial disparities in birth outcomes,” said Amy Crockett, MD, MSPH, co-Principal Investigator, CRADLE Study.
The CRADLE Study also showed that the greater number of sessions attended (between 5-8) the more protective the effect CenteringPregnancy had on preterm birth compared to patients who attended fewer than five sessions. CenteringPregnancy follows the American College of Obstetricians’ recommended schedule of ten prenatal care visits.
“As a physician who has trained in Centering’s model of facilitation and seen firsthand the positive relationships, community, and peer-to-peer support and education that develop in Centering groups, I’m not surprised that this model can reduce health inequities in birth outcomes for Black birthing persons. The Centering model of group care is a transformative way to disrupt the physical and psychological impacts of structural racism and ensure equity in healthcare delivery. This model brings joy to practice for clinicians; I’ve learned so much from my patients in the group setting and translate this high-touch, high impact approach on a daily basis to individual patient encounters, “ said Andrea Darby-Stewart M.D., HonorHealth and Chair, CHI Board of Directors.
The nationally-recognized, foremost model of group prenatal care, CenteringPregnancy is the only model of group prenatal care that has been extensively researched and shown to improve a wide range of birth outcomes. A billable healthcare visit, CenteringPregnancy brings people with similar due dates out of the exam room and into a group setting for prenatal care. Each two-hour visit includes ample time for health assessment, interactive learning and peer support. Participants receive high quality of care and form a community where they develop skills and confidence to take control of the health of their children and themselves.
“The CRADLE study is a welcome addition to the evidence base showing the power of CenteringPregnancy in flattening the outcome disparities between Black and white birthing people. This reaffirms that CenteringPregnancy is an important tool in the fight for birth equity and should be part of multi-layered strategies adopted by health systems and policy makers,” said Angie Truesdale, Chief Executive Officer, Centering Healthcare Institute. “We look forward to seeing more analysis from the CRADLE study in the future.”
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About Centering Healthcare Institute:
CHI is a national non-profit organization with a mission to improve health, transform care and disrupt inequitable systems through the Centering group model. Centering combines health assessment, interactive learning and community building to help support positive health behaviors and drive better health outcomes. CenteringPregnancy® and CenteringParenting® provide the highest quality of care to families from pregnancy through early childhood. The CenteringHealthcare® methodology can be applied to other health conditions including groups for diabetes, opioid recovery, chronic pain and other patient populations.
