About Healthy Beginnings Plus
Healthy Beginnings Plus Prenatal Program focuses on a healthy pregnancy, which means ongoing assessment of educational, nutritional and other individual needs. It is also means early detection and treatment of any problems—the sooner a problem is detected and taken care of, the better it is for baby and mother. Psychosocial and medical-obstetrical factors can place a woman at risk of not having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby.
Through Maternal and Family Health services, complete prenatal care delivered by an outstanding team of medical professionals is provided during pregnancy and immediately after the baby’s birth. Early intervention, care coordination, and continuity of care are important features of this program that is sponsored through the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Who is eligible for Healthy Beginnings Plus?
The program is free for low-income pregnant women meeting the eligibility requirements. Income and family size criteria must be met to qualify for medical assistance coverage for maternity care under the Medical Assistance Program.
What happens after the baby is born?
Once the baby is born, participants are eligible for home visits by a nurse, normal postpartum care is available and baby care will be reviewed. Mothers will also learn how to successfully breastfeed the baby. A return postpartum visit will be scheduled and referrals will be made for continuing care for baby and for personal gynecologic care.
What is the Circle of Care?
The Circle of Care at Community Medical Center in Scranton is a unique, one-stop shop for women’s health care that combines all the Maternal and Family Health Services health and wellness programs in one coordinated site. The Circle of Care model allows MFHS to deliver high-quality, professional care in partnership with a premier health delivery system with an outstanding reputation for women’s and children’s health care services in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Benefits of Healthy Beginnings Plus
The Healthy Beginnings Plus program is an investment in special obstetrical care that gives expectant mothers a positive prenatal experience and helps them reduce the risk of delivering early.
- Improves pregnancy outcomes by reducing low birth weight, infant mortality and maternal health problems.
- A positive prenatal experience helps expectant mothers reduce the risk of delivering early.
- Proper diet and nutrition help alleviate fatigue, infections and minimize the effect of morning sickness and indigestion during pregnancy.
- Smoking cessation helps reduce pregnancy complications like miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy and genetic defects to the baby.
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