Pregnancy is the gateway to future health of both the mother and the baby. The goal of this initiative is to promote healthy pregnancies through one-on-one partnerships between at-risk pregnant women and medical/health profession student. This initiative will help increase awareness and access to resources to ensure a healthy pregnancy, delivery and transition to successful home life with a newborn.
Students will partner with the EVMS OB-GYN Department and Sentara Norfolk General to help support expecting moms throughout their stay in the Antepartum Unit. Initiative members will develop empathy, effective communication skills and early awareness of the unique challenges that arise when caring for patients from underserved communities.
Mother and Baby Mermaids works towards EVMS' vision of producing physicians and health professionals who strive to improve the health of their community, one pregnancy at a time.
Students will:
- Describe fetal development and normal changes in pregnancy
- State the character and pattern of prenatal visits
- Describe obstetric pathologies and emergencies and outline typical responses
- Recognize complications in pregnancy
- Work to foster cultural and social support for participants
- Describe the various stages of labor
- Describe the "Fourth Trimester"
- Define the clinical indications of postpartum blues versus postpartum depression
For additional details on Mother and Baby Mermaids, you can download the handout: HERE
You may also contact Community-Engaged Learning for any additional questions.
Students, report your CEL hours: HERE
