Group Prenatal Care at Women's Healthcare Associates: CenteringPregnancy

CenteringPregnancy is an exciting alternative to traditional one-on-one prenatal care that has been demonstrated to be effective, safe and fun. Instead of 10- to 20-minute appointments with your provider during pregnancy, you meet for two hours with a group of women who all have similar due dates. In this setting, you get both private time with the provider, as well as ample time to discuss important topics related to pregnancy, childbirth and parenting as a group. Watch video of an actual Centering group to learn more: 

Because Centering is less familiar than traditional care, many women have questions. We've done our best to answer the most common questions and concerns below. Please contact our office at (503) 292-3577 if we can provide more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How is CenteringPregnancy different than one-on-one prenatal care in the exam room?
• Two hours seems like a long time for a prenatal visit. What happens during the two hours?
• I am unable to leave my job for a two-hour appointment.
• Will I still get my ultrasounds and lab tests that I expect in prenatal care?
• I won’t feel comfortable sharing information about my pregnancy in a group setting.
• I’m afraid that my provider won’t really get to know me in a group setting.
• How is my privacy protected in a group setting?
• What is the cost of this type of prenatal care?
• Can my partner or other support person attend my prenatal groups with me?
• I have problems with childcare. May I bring my children to my prenatal groups?
• When do the groups meet?
• When did Centering begin?
• Have there been any studies about the effectiveness of Centering?
• Is CenteringPregnancy appropriate for everyone?
• How can I get more information and sign up for my Centering group?

Getting started in CenteringPregnancy 

Read more about group prenatal care and CenteringPregnancy in our Wellness Journal. Centering groups are offered on our Peterkort campus near Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Currently, they are led by the Certified Nurse Midwives in our Peterkort South office. Call our office at 503-292-3577 to learn more about how to become a part of a Centering group.