Since the launch of our Maternal & Infant Health Initiative, the Health Fund has invested in a number of efforts focused on expanding access to group prenatal care (GPNC) in Michigan. GPNC has been linked to a range of improvements in birth outcomes and health outcomes for moms before and after the birth of a child.
It’s been particularly effective for families most likely to be impacted by health disparities based on race, income level, geography, and other factors. Closing these persistent gaps is a vital part of our health equity goals related to birth outcomes and maternal health.
WHAT IS GROUP PRENATAL CARE?
GPNC brings together a small cohort (typically 8-12 individuals) in similar stages of pregnancy to participate in a structured prenatal care program with a clinician. GPNC participants receive prenatal medical checkups and screenings in the same setting with education and facilitated discussion with a community of peers — following a set curriculum, most commonly the CenteringPregnancy® model.
GPNC cohorts meet monthly for longer periods of time (up to two hours) than a traditional prenatal check-up, which might last 15 minutes. This offers more contact with providers, alongside invaluable social support from peers.
The result? GPNC participants experience fewer pre-term births, instances of low infant birth weight, and admissions to the NICU after birth. They also report higher breastfeeding rates and greater satisfaction with their care.
GPNC reduces health care costs over time, but it does require a significant investment up front for needs like training, space, partnerships, and staffing to deliver this special form of prenatal care. Our grantmaking has focused on helping providers meet costs to launch GPNC services or expand successful initiatives, helping the field learn more about the model’s impact and reach more families.
Here are a few examples of our grantees’ impact in their communities.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Project Expand: Expanding Access to Group Prenatal Care
This 2022 grant has supported a partnership between Central Michigan University (CMU), Great Lakes Bay Health Centers (GLBHC), and the Saginaw County Health Department to develop and deliver a GPNC program in Saginaw.
Since its launch, the project has completed four cohorts, with five others underway. As of March 2025, members reported significantly better outcomes in terms of birth weight (less than 1% low birthweight), gestational age (0% preterm births), and breastfeeding participation (68%) than non-participants in GPNC the same community. Additionally, babies received improved Apgar scores at birth, and participating families had a 100% participation rate in post-partum follow up care.
Critically, screenings offered through the project connected two individuals to immediate interventions to address life-threatening situations – potentially saving the lives of both pairs of mothers and babies.
HILLSDALE HOSPITAL
Centering Pregnancy
Funded in 2022, this $80,000 grant supported efforts to establish an initiative providing GPNC to rural communities with an underserved population. People living in rural communities are more likely to struggle with access to prenatal and maternity care, making this a valuable opportunity to employ GPNC in a rural setting.
The project started with a more modest scope — with two to four patients in early cohorts — and has grown to serve cohorts between eight and 12 expecting mothers.
All told, Hillsdale Hospital has served 85 individuals through GPNC since the start of the grant, observing an improvement in satisfaction with care, an increase in breastfeeding, and a decrease in postpartum depression in those with a history of depression and/or anxiety among participants.
SOURCES FOR SUSTAINABILITY
In early 2024, the state of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan announced major investments to expand adoption of CenteringPregnancy® in our state. Over the past two years, these resources have been aimed at significantly ramping up GPNC across physician practices and health systems.
In addition, last October Michigan Medicaid released a policy bulletin approving a $45 reimbursement for GPC services for Medicaid recipients. This development has been a positive one for providers, and grantees leading these programs are finding it a helpful tool to sustain services.
We’ll continue to monitor the impact these resources have on the field in the months ahead and seek additional partnership and opportunities to scale the impact of GPNC. To learn more about our past grant investments in supporting these efforts in Michigan, visit our grant database.