Healthy Start House: Prenatal Care
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Healthy Start House provides short-term residential care to pregnant women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and whose physicians have determined that a need for bed rest in order to avoid early childbirth, miscarriage, or other health complications. Up to four children 10 years old or younger may stay at Healthy Start House with their mother.
The primary goal of Healthy Start House's prenatal program is to provide pregnant women at risk of medical complications with the care they need to have healthy pregnancy outcomes. At the same time, Healthy Start House provides information to pregnant women about pregnancy, labor and delivery, and basic infant care.
Medical conditions for which a woman might stay at Healthy Start House include premature rupture of membranes, mild pre-eclampsia, toxemia, hyperemesis, intrauterine growth retardation, and multiple gestation pregnancies. The length of a woman's stay is determined by medical need.
Overall medical supervision of prenatal care is provided by Adagio
Health's Medical Director. Adagio Health's staff of registered dietitians,
dietetic interns, nurse practitioners, and lactation consultants are
also available to provide information, services, and referrals. On-site
staff members work closely with case managers and staff employed by
each woman's health insurer, obstetrician/ gynecologist, and others.
Healthy Start House staff help pregnant women reduce their physical activity and stress by assisting them with child care and performing household tasks, such as cooking and laundry. Other services are tailored to the needs of each particular woman and might include monitoring medication, liquid intake, and general health.
Healthy Start House provides transportation to and from doctor's appointments. Pregnant women who leave the program prior to childbirth are provided with transportation home. Pregnant women in labor are transported to their hospital by the local ambulance service.
When their health permits, Healthy Start House prenatal residents are encouraged to participate in the available on-site programs. After childbirth, the new mothers are invited to participate in the residential postpartum program. They are also encouraged to continue to participate in Healthy Start House's education programs and special events. Follow-up services are provided to prenatal care residents for one year.
All Healthy Start House prenatal care services are voluntary and free
to participants. For more information, contact
Adagio Health.
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