Right-Sizing Prenatal Care to Meet Patients' Needs and Improve Maternity Care Value.

Prenatal care is one of the most widely used preventive care services in the United States, yet prenatal care delivery recommendations have remained largely unchanged since just before World War II. The current prenatal care model can be improved to better serve modern patients and the health care providers who care for them in three key ways: 1) focusing more on promotion of health and wellness as opposed to primarily focusing on medical complications, 2) flexibly incorporating patient preferences, and 3) individualizing care. As key policymakers and stakeholders grapple with higher maternity care costs and poorer outcomes, including lagging access, equity, and maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in the United States compared with other high-income countries, the opportunity to improve prenatal care has been given insufficient attention.

Completing the Maternal Care Team: OB/GYN Expertise at Rural District Hospitals in Ghana, a Qualitative Study.

Introduction To provide a qualitative perspective on the changes that occurred after newly placed OB/GYNs began working at district hospitals in Ashanti, Ghana. Methods Structured interviews of healthcare professionals were conducted at eight district hospitals located throughout the Ashanti district of Ghana, four with and four without a full-time OB/GYN on staff. Individuals interviewed include: medical superintendents, medical officers, district hospital administrators, OB/GYNs (where applicable), and nurse-midwives.