Background:
Group care has been shown to be an efficient and effective model of care in such diverse areas as geriatric, diabetic, and prenatal care (CenteringPregnancy®). The model allows providers to spend more time with their patients and to better educate patients about their healthcare issues, in addition to providing them with peer support.


Objectives:
To develop a “group” model for the delivery of preconception and interconception care based on the CenteringPregnancy® model of prenatal care.

Methods:
After securing funding from the Greater New York March of Dimes community grants program, a panel with expertise in group delivery of prenatal care and preconception and interconception care was convened. Using the Centering model and the CDC content guidelines on preconception and interconception care, a program was developed to integrate these two concepts. The program is ongoing. Women at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes are being invited to participate. They are being asked to complete before and after surveys concerning their knowledge and attitudes around preconception care, as well as an evaluation of the program.


Results:
The newly created program consists of four weekly group sessions lasting two hours with 6-10 women and two facilitators. The content consists of preconception and interconception education and group discussion of four selected topics: session (1) nutrition education including folic acid supplementation and exercise for women; session (2) family planning including survey of methods used; session (3) stress management and reduction; and session (4) potential pregnancy complications pertinent to individual participants. In addition, each participant is seen individually to assess personal risks and develop a preconception plan. Groups are in progress and evaluation is ongoing.


Conclusion and implications for practice:
Preconception care can be offered in a group model. This model of care allows for more time for patient preconception education than would be allowed in the traditional one on one model. This is an important innovation to current practice.