The March 2025 group at their last session, pregnant. Accompanying photo: At their postpartum reunion with their babies. Photos courtesy of CenteringPregnancy.
When a person becomes pregnant, doctor’s visits often mean quick checkups, a brief conversation, and a long list of questions left unanswered. But for a growing number of expecting mothers, prenatal care is becoming something more meaningful.
At the heart of this transformation is CenteringPregnancy, a group-based prenatal care model where eight to 12 women with similar due dates come together for regular sessions that go far beyond traditional checkups.
The two-hour sessions are currently held at the Center for Women’s Health and Midwifery in the basement level of the Tompkins building.
Led by healthcare providers, these group visits include interactive learning, mindfulness exercises, and holistic care.
“There’s a period in the beginning where there is brief one-on-one time with the mothers. We measure their belly and listen to the baby’s heartbeat,” said Heather Brigance, CNM, senior midwifery manager of Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH).
In a post-COVID world, many people – especially pregnant women – are facing increased isolation and fewer real-life interactions. That lack of connection can take a serious toll, especially as perinatal mood disorders like anxiety and depression become more common.
CenteringPregnancy helps bridge that gap by bringing expecting mothers together in a supportive, group setting.
“These women are able to make friends and meet people who are in similar situations, experiencing the same challenges and emotions,” added Brigance. “These shared experiences can support them through their pregnancy and beyond.”
CenteringPregnancy is a nationally recognized prenatal care model developed by the Centering Healthcare Institute, which holds the trademark. Accredited CenteringPregnancy sites can be found across the country, with many offering the program alongside traditional one-on-one prenatal care. Locally, both YNHH and the Fair Haven Community Health Clinic provide CenteringPregnancy as part of their maternal health services.
“They helped make my pregnancy a time of learning and deep connection with my body,” said Marie Clara DeSalvo, who is one of the participants. “Having the opportunity to share the pregnancy journey with other women — exchanging questions, stories, and conversations — was a powerful way to not feel so alone or out of place during all the changes I was going through.”
What makes CenteringPregnancy stand out is not just the education – it is the emotional connection. These group sessions often become a safe space where patients open up in ways they never expected.
Overtime, bonds form. Many patients stay in touch long after their babies are born, especially after the reunion visit held about six weeks postpartum – when mothers return to the group with their newborns in their arms. Some even become neighbors in motherhood, going on stroller walks together or forming their own informal support circles.
“CenteringPregnancy was such a rewarding experience. I learned so many new things at every session and truly valued the supportive, social environment,” said Nathalia Eskandari, who is another participant of the program.
YNHH’s CenteringPregnancy program has been open to patients for one year and all sessions are billed through their insurance.
For information about the program, email Heather Brigance, CNM. Patients can call the Center for Women’s Health and Midwifery for an appointment at 203-789-3029.
