PhD defence Mary-ann Rashida Wagijo

Keywords: Antenatal care, Pregnancy, Group care, CenteringPregnancy

"Together is more: Evaluating the integration and impact of Centering Pregnancy in Dutch midwifery care"

This dissertation evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of CenteringPregnancy (CP) within Dutch primary midwifery care. CP is an innovative model of prenatal group care in which traditional individual visits are replaced by interactive group sessions that combine medical assessments, education, and peer support. The study examines participation and recruitment, as well as the effects of participation on health behaviors, health literacy, healthcare utilization, and medical outcomes. The findings show that participation in CP is associated with higher satisfaction, healthier behaviors, and improved outcomes for both mother and child. These results indicate that CP is an innovative and valuable model for maternity care in the Netherlands.

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