Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the March of Dimes, with the support of the Tennessee Department of Health and UnitedHealth Group, are working together to offer a new model of group prenatal care called Supportive Pregnancy Care^® (SPC) to area women and babies.

SPC brings pregnant women together in group sessions for prenatal care with their obstetric provider. During SPC sessions, women learn how to take and record their own vital signs; receive a private physical assessment with their provider; support each other; and gain knowledge and skills related to pregnancy, birth and infant care. Adequate time is built in to address medical and health education concerns. March of Dimes SPC is unique in also offering online resources portal for providers and a blog site for women to share information, photos, videos, blog posts, and participate in discussion forums.

SPC will be piloted in a number of health systems across the state. In Middle Tennessee, the program will be available at Vanderbilt Center for Women's Health at One Hundred Oaks and at Meharry Medical College. The March of Dimes has contracted with Vanderbilt University's Peabody Research Institute to conduct the research and evaluation for SPC's pilot phase.