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Another quality assurance initiative is the Centering Pregnancy program directed by Pamela Hetrick, CNM, MSN, in the division of Nurse-Midwifery. Funded through grants from Kaiser Permanente, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and March of Dimes, it combines prenatal care with prenatal education, dance exercise and peer support in monthly group sessions led by nurse midwives. More than 600 women have participated in the Centering Pregnancy program, so far. "Women who join the program are more engaged in taking care of themselves and taking ownership of their health," explains Marjorie Greenfield, MD, division chief of General Obstetrics and Gynecology at UH. "The result is a 44.6 percent reduction in pre-term births and a 27-percent reduction in the incidence of low birth-weight babies. An added bonus is that participants are more likely to try breastfeeding and are less likely to suffer from postpartum depression." Originally offered in 2010 to lower socioeconomic women in Cleveland, the Centering Pregnancy program has expanded to UH facilities on Cleveland's East and West sides, so more women can access this unique program closer to home. Programs, Clinics and Centers Physician leaders at UH MacDonald Women's Hospital have developed several innovative multidisciplinary clinics and centers to meet the needs of Northeast Ohio women. Bleeding Disorders Clinic. Prolonged or profuse bleeding during menstruation isn't normal. Gynecologist Lisa Perriera, MD, and pediatric hematologist Sanjay Ahuja, MD, co-direct the Bleeding Disorders Clinic in a partnership between UH MacDonald Women's Hospital and UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. The clinic was the first in the region to use a multi-specialty approach to treating bleeding disorders in women in their early reproductive years. Heavy menstrual bleeding and other common bleeding disorders can need appropriate diagnosis and treatment. "Bleeding disorders are often genetic and may not be diag- nosed until after a girl has her first period," Dr. Greenfield explains. "Without proper treatment, a bleeding disorder can make women and girls more at risk for conditions like anemia." Breast Health Center. This center focuses on breast health and breast cancer, providing comprehensive care that includes digital and three-dimensional mammography, image-guided biopsy, hormone and biologic therapies, breast reduction and augmentation, genetic counseling and access to early stages of clinical trials. Co-directed by Donna Plecha, MD, a radiologist, and Robert Shenk, MD, a breast surgeon, the center's multidisciplinary team of breast health radiologists, surgeons, nurse navigators, certified breast imaging technologists and genetic counselors work The Centering Pregnancy program at UH MacDonald features unique group prenatal care with prenatal education, exercise and support in monthly sessions led by nurse midwives. The goal is to reduce pre-term births and the incidence of low birth-weight babies. 12 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton MD NEWS ■ MDNEWS.COM ■ JULY-AUGUST 2012 PHOTO © SMITHBERGER PHOTOGRAPHY, NORTH CANTON