Promoting Healthy Outcomes During Pregnancy and Beyond: The Role of Community and Social Service Providers

This book provides essential knowledge and tools for home visitors and other parent-facing professionals to build trusting relationships with pregnant and postpartum clients, in order to provide them with the information, guidance, resources, and signposting they need to avoid adverse health outcomes. Adverse health outcomes as a result of pregnancy and birth affect millions each year, affecting physical and mental health – and in some cases resulting in death. Due to systemic bias and persistent socioeconomic disparities, certain groups are more at risk for these poor outcomes, including people of color, especially Black people; people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people; and disabled people. Sitting within a social determinants of health framework, this practical guide summarizes the most relevant research and translates it into action steps. Each chapter will address a key issue related to morbidity and mortality in relation to pregnancy and birth, including statistics, key definitions, and discussion of risk factors, protective factors and disparities. Case studies, reflective questions, and recommendations make it straightforward for the reader to apply the learning to their own practice. This book is an invaluable resource for all those health, community, and social service providers, including home visitors, who work with families, parents to be, and new parents.