Perinatal Wellness Navigation: A Personalized Approach to Pre-term Birth Reduction

The purpose of the Perinatal and Wellness Navigator role is to provide comprehensive assessment, support, and referral for women at highest risk for preterm birth and other adverse birth outcomes. The PWN will primarily focus on addressing modifiable heath behaviors including: tobacco use, SHS exposure, maternal stress and short-interval pregnancy. Further the PWN will help the woman navigate the complex healthcare system, while linking her to additional evidence-based, and supportive community programs. Other roles of the PWN include facilitating group prenatal education and support (online or in-person). Some additional health promotion activities may include breastfeeding, family planning, or mindfulness classes. * we need to develop an assessment tool *assemble a community assessment for perinatal education and support classes Objectives: 1. To test the role of a perinatal nurse navigator on reduction of modifiable risk behaviors contributing to preterm birth. a. Determine the impact of the Perinatal Wellness Navigator on smoking and secondhand smoke exposure (measured by expired CO) during pregnancy and early postpartum period b. Determine the impact of the Perinatal Wellness Navigator on maternal psychosocial factors (support, stress, depressive symptoms) c. Determine the impact of the PWN on confidence on adequate birth spacing 2. Develop a PWN toolkit to disseminate to other communities to replicate the program