McLeod Women's Care Clarendon, a division of McLeod Health Clarendon, announced Tuesday its achievement as a Centering Pregnancy "approved site" by the Centering Healthcare Institute.
Centering involves a group of expecting mothers who receive prenatal care that consist of 10 sessions, where the group meets monthly for the first four sessions and then bi-weekly for the last six sessions.
McLeod Women's Care Clarendon Midwife Tom Chappell said he is "excited to continue the tradition of offering women options in prenatal and birth care."
"Our recognition as an approved site for Centering Pregnancy is just one more way we support women in their journey to motherhood."
When an expectant mother joins the Centering group, she has her routine physical exam in a private area by the physician or midwife, who also facilitates the group session. She is grouped with other mothers from all backgrounds that are in the same stage of pregnancy.
Before the session starts each mother checks her blood pressure and weighs herself. The physician or midwife performs belly measurements, listen for fetal heart tones, and expectant mothers chart their growth in a journal.
During each group session an education piece is provided as well, allowing members of the group to talk about their concerns and learn from the facilitator, as well as each other.
The Centering Healthcare Institute reviews applications of participating healthcare facilities yearly and selects those that meet the criteria to be named an official Centering Pregnancy site.
To date, McLeod Women’s Care Clarendon has had 80 participants in centering.
Established in 1951, McLeod Health Clarendon has served the residents of Clarendon County for 65 years. In 2013, the hospital completed a $22 million, 47,000-square-foot expansion and renovation, encompassing new operating rooms, an emergency department, same-day surgery center and larger patient rooms. Services available at McLeod Health Clarendon include labor and delivery; infusion therapy; cardiac rehabilitation; outpatient rehabilitation; diagnostic imaging; and home health. The hospital has nearly 30 physicians representing medical specialties ranging from family medicine, OB/GYN and orthopedics to plastic surgery and urology.
