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Pregnancy requires a cohesive health care team. That is why the Provincial Health Office, the Midwives Association of BC, and the Health Development and Women’s Health Directorate, Ministry of Health are urging pharmacists to refer prenatal patients as early as possible.
Public health prenatal services complement the multi-disciplinary reproductive health care services to support pregnant women with screening, health promotion, education, and referral to other needed health or community services (supported by resources such as Baby’s Best Chance). Public health can offer vulnerable women more intensive follow-up and enhanced support services and will support women to make the healthiest choices possible in pregnancy.
Once a public health nurse receives a referral, they will assess the woman’s needs and offer her public health and community services to support the healthiest pregnancy possible. This information becomes part of the confidential health record and allows public health nurses to establish a relationship with the patient and their family. Where concerns are identified, public health nurses will provide updates and outcomes to their primary care provider.
Referrals can be by phone, fax or through on-line prenatal registries. Patients can also self-refer. Click here for regional contact information.
Additionally, public health across BC is currently participating in a randomized controlled trial called the BC Healthy Connections Project. The project is a scientific evaluation, conducted by the Children’s Health Policy Centre, Simon Fraser University, of the effectiveness of an intensive home-visiting program, called the Nurse-Family Partnership program. The program is designed to help disadvantaged young first-time mothers and their children. It has been an effective program in the US but has never been done in Canada. A public health nurse will screen referrals and offer services; potentially eligible women will then be invited to consider the program. Eligible women who consent to participate in the program will be randomly selected to receive the intensive intervention or offered other appropriate public health services based on their needs.
For more information, see http://www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca/home/bc-healthy-connections-project or www.childhealthpolicy.ca.
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