KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Bronson Health's Centering Program is giving expecting mothers in Kalamazoo County more time with clinicians, peer support, and health education, and the results are showing up in the data.
According to Bronson, the Black infant mortality rate in Kalamazoo County is the lowest in decades.
Health officials say the Centering Program is one of several initiatives driving that progress.
The Centering Program is offered nationwide and launched at Bronson in 2021. Participants receive a one-on-one visit with a nurse midwife, then meet as a group of 8 to 12 expecting mothers.
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Sonya Dadtta-Sandhu, a nurse midwife at Bronson Health, said the group model gives patients significantly more access to clinical care than traditional prenatal visits.
"The group visits are all between 90 minutes and 2 hours. And so when people are in that group space, and they are getting their visit, health education, and peer support, they are also getting 10 times as much time with a clinician as they would with traditional prenatal care," Dadtta-Sandhu said.
She said the research behind group care points to meaningful outcomes for Black mothers and babies specifically.
"Data shows that group care nearly eliminates the disparity in pre-term birth between black babies and white babies. So what we see is if we are decreasing the pre-term birth rate for black infants, we are decreasing the Black infant mortality rate. And those are directly connected," Dadtta-Sandhu said.
Dr. Karen Garcia, Bronson Health's system director for health transformation and community partnership, said the Centering Program is part of a broader effort that includes doulas, lactation care, and nonprofit partnerships.
"Not a single one of us could be able to do this on our own. And why it's so important that all of us bound together. At the end of the day, we have decreased those infant mortality rates. We have decreased the disparities we see with our Black infants. But not a single one of us wants to see any baby die here. We would love for our infant mortality rate for every single family to be zero," Garcia said.
Two new mothers, Shabrea Smith and Deja Agee, had their first babies around the same time. Both went through the Centering Program.
Smith said the group conversations helped her feel more confident bringing her son home for the first time, especially when it came to navigating safe sleep.
"You got family members that are like, I always slept with the baby in the bed. And then you get to Centering and you learn the safest place for the baby to sleep is on their back," Smith said.
"Breaking down those old folk tales and doing what is most safe for the baby and your family. I feel like it was very very helpful for me. I want to do what's best for my son," Smith said.
Smith said she has already encouraged others to enroll.
"I have two best friends that are both due in August. I rave about the care I received here at Bronson, and the Centering Program, and one of them has joined centering too," Smith said.
Agee reflected on what it was like giving birth.
"Everyone says it's a different kind of pain. Different pain threshold. I will definitely say yes it was. But it was great. I was happy to have her earth side, and here with us," Agee said.
When I asked Agee what it felt like to be part of a changing statistic for women of color in Kalamazoo County, she said the experience was difficult to put into words.
"I would probably say indescribable. To come on the other side of it..it's probably one of the best things. To have a healthy baby girl. My health, is doing great," Agee said.
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