When Carolina OB/GYN introduced Centering Pregnancy to Horry and Georgetown Counties in 2013, Dr. Gayle Richmond knew the concept would be popular but never dreamed that in just eight short years, the practice would be celebrating its 100th Centering Pregnancy class.
Centering Pregnancy is a model of care that provides enhanced education, support, and health care for a group of women who are due to have babies at the same time. The prenatal appointments and content follow nationally recognized guidelines with the flexibility to explore health and wellness topics that fit the group’s needs. This approach to providing care has been shown to decrease preterm birth in high-risk patients. Centering patients are also more likely to breastfeed and report satisfaction with their care.
“We were South Carolina’s first physician-owned medical practice to become credentialed to offer Centering Pregnancy,” said Dr. Gayle Richmond, founder of Carolina OB/GYN. “To date, nearly 700 women have participated in Carolina OB/GYN’s Centering program, with many women choosing Centering with each of their pregnancies. I am especially proud of our certified nurse-midwives who, through a grant from the Centering Healthcare Institute, continued our Centering classes via Zoom during COVID-19,” Dr. Richmond said.
Carolina OB/GYN will host a centennial celebration of its 100th Centering Pregnancy class on Monday, November 8, from 5:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. in their newly-remodeled midwifery suite in Murrells Inlet. Mothers and children of the first class will meet and share memories with mothers and babies from the 100th Centering Pregnancy class. “This should be an enjoyable reunion,” continued Dr. Richmond. “We have had an excellent response. Many of the mothers from our first class still reside in our area.”
For more information or to enroll in an upcoming Centering Pregnancy class, contact Anne Vierela at Carolina OB/GYN – (843) 651-6525. For more information on Centering Pregnancy, visit the Centering Healthcare Institute.
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