Prenatal Case Management
The prenatal case management program is a service provided to pregnant women, to assist in gaining access to needed medical, social, and educational services. A prenatal case management nurse seeks to promote the health of recipients and foster independent compliance with health care services. She will follow the mother’s health care monthly throughout her pregnancy.
Services
The program provides the following services:
- Pregnancy testing
- Temporary Medicaid
- Information and referrals
- Education on a variety of topics, including:
- Breastfeeding
- Delivery
- Gestational diabetes
- Harmful effects of alcohol, drugs and tobacco
- Hypertension
Eligibility
To qualify for prenatal case management the individual must be enrolled in the MO HealthNet (Medicaid) program. A risk appraisal is conducted to identify pregnant women who have or may develop certain risk factors related to physical, psycho social, developmental, and/or environmental problems. Examples of risks include:
- Mother’s age 17 or younger at the time of conception
- Mother’s age 35 or older at the time of conception
- Currently smoking
- Pregnancy weight less than 100 pounds
- Previous infant death
- Multiple fetuses in current pregnancy
- Considered relinquishment of infant
- Homelessness
- Physical or emotional abuse/neglect of client
- Partner with history of violence
- Drug use or abuse (including alcohol)
- Prior low birth weight baby
- Pregnancy-induced hypertension or diabetes
This is just a few of the risk factors for prenatal case management. The most important aspect of the program is providing support to the expectant mother and her unborn child. Discharge from the program is usually 60 days after delivery.
For more information or to discuss your care call 417-967-4131.
Resources
- March of Dimes (link www.marchofdimes.com)
