Inventory of Evidence-Based Practices (EBPs) for Healthy Start Programs

Evidence-based practices include actions, activities, strategies, or approaches that improve the health of women, before, during, and after pregnancy in order to improve birth outcomes and give infants up to age two years a healthy start. Also included in the collection are informational materials and tools that make it easier to implement evidence-based practices. To search by title, use the main search box located at the top of this page.

Most Recently Added EBPs:

Number of results: 6


ACOG Committee Opinion on Optimizing Postpartum Care

Because one half of all pregnancy-related maternal deaths occur postpartum, the weeks following childbirth are a critical period for a woman and her infant. In addition, health issues that arise in pregnancy can persist and presage long-term medical problems. In this Committee Opinion, ACOG lays out a new vision for postpartum care, redefining it as an ongoing process beginning within the first 3 weeks postpartum and tailored to a woman’s needs. The document includes practical advice on postpartum care as well as useful charts including a Timeline for Postpartum Care, a listing of The Components of Postpartum Care, and a table identifying Members of the Postpartum Care Team.

Topics:

Breastfeeding Chronic Disease Depression Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning

Approaches:

Improve Women's Health Promote Quality Strengthen Family Resilience

Benchmarks:

Birth Spacing Initiating Breastfeeding Perinatal Depression Follow Up Perinatal Depression Screening Postpartum Visit Reproductive Life Plan Sustaining Breastfeeding Well Woman Visits

Evidence Rating: III. Expert guidelines—Protocols, standards of practice, or recommendations based on expert consensus.

Baby Basics

Baby Basics is a set of materials (book, planner, posters) and programs designed specifically to provide lower-income and lower-literacy populations with crucial prenatal health information and support. The materials are designed to be beautiful and easy to read, serving as a catalyst for learning and family literacy. Both materials and programs strive to engage and educate underserved parents to become effective users of the healthcare system and advocate for themselves and their families.

Topics:

Prenatal Care and Education

Approaches:

Improve Women's Health Promote Quality Strengthen Family Resilience

Benchmarks:

Birth Spacing Father/Partner Prenatal Involvement Initiating Breastfeeding Postpartum Visit Safe Sleep Sustaining Breastfeeding Well Child Visits

Evidence Rating: III. Expert guidelines—Protocols, standards of practice, or recommendations based on expert consensus.

Interconception Care Project of California

The Interconception Care Project of California is a collection of recommendations to improve and promote the interconception health of women by maximizing care during the postpartum visit. The website contains links to free evidence-based clinical management algorithms for the 21 most common pregnancy and delivery complications in California. Patient education materials offering explanations of the conditions, treatment options, and self-care strategies to reduce risks in future pregnancies are also free and available in English and Spanish.

Topics:

Other Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning Risk Assessment

Approaches:

Promote Quality

Benchmarks:

Birth Spacing

Evidence Rating: III. Expert guidelines—Protocols, standards of practice, or recommendations based on expert consensus.

The Tampa Bay Doula Program

This Doula Program, targeted to low income pregnant women, provides free perinatal services, including community-based childbirth education classes, labor and delivery support, postpartum care, and instruction focusing on mom/baby attachment, extension of breastfeeding duration, and interconception care. Participants in the program have been shown to have a decreased infant mortality rate, reduced need for medical interventions during labor and delivery, and longer duration of breastfeeding their infants.

Topics:

Breastfeeding Other Prenatal Care and Education Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning

Approaches:

Improve Women's Health Promote Quality

Benchmarks:

Birth Spacing Initiating Breastfeeding Reproductive Life Plan Sustaining Breastfeeding

Evidence Rating: I. Evidence-based practices—have been rigorously evaluated and shown to be effective by MCH experts.

Before, Between, and Beyond Pregnancy : The National Preconception Curriculum and Resources Guide for Clinicians

A “one stop” resource for clinicians and others who want to learn more about preconception health, its history, the evidence supporting it and strategies for incorporating relevant content into daily clinical practice. Contains a Preconception Care Clinical Toolkit designed to help providers meet their patient’s needs in response to the question “Are you hoping to become pregnant in the next year?” Also includes CME opportunities, key articles, clinical guidance, and practice resources.

Topics:

Reproductive Life Planning/Family Planning

Approaches:

Improve Women's Health Promote Quality

Benchmarks:

Birth Spacing Reproductive Life Plan

Evidence Rating: III. Expert guidelines—Protocols, standards of practice, or recommendations based on expert consensus.