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MHQP 2009/2010 Perinatal Care Recommendations 

available online at mhqp.org

Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) and representatives from health care organizations across Massachusetts are coming together again to collectively endorse the 2009/10 Routine Perinatal Care Recommendations.Click here to access the guidelines and list of endorsing organizations.

In 2007, MHQP first made its guidelines available online in both desk-reference and brochure formats. Updates for 2009/2010 have been integrated into the online version of our guidelines, which includes links to additional clinical tools and patient handouts that you may find useful.

The Recommendations were compiled by a collaborative working group of clinicians using evidence-based guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and other national organizations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics. There are also additional materials compiled by the clinician working group offered as resources for your practice.

Our goal in coming together to endorse a single set of perinatal care recommendations is to support your efforts to provide high-quality, evidence-based care and eliminate inconsistent guidelines. It is well documented that high-quality prenatal care is the single most important factor in improving maternal and infant health.

• The Healthy People 2010 goal is that over 90% of pregnant women will receive early and adequate prenatal care.

• In Massachusetts, 82.8% of pregnant women received adequate prenatal care in 2007. Among Black and Latina women, the rates are significantly lower, with only 76.1% and 75.3%, respectively, having received adequate prenatal care. (1)

We hope that you will find the 2009/2010 Perinatal Care Recommendations useful. Please distribute these to OB/GYN practitioners in your practice or medical group.

If you have any questions, please email them to info@mhqp.org.

(1) Massachusetts Births 2007. Massachusetts Department of Public Health, February 2009

These recommendations are consistent with those published by ACOG with little substantive change.

Click here to learn more about MHQP.