Lane County Public Health Department

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Prenatal Assistance

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WIC

General Information
The Prenatal Assistance Program has helped thousands of families have healthy babies by providing individual education and support, links to other helpful organizations or programs, and direct assistance with finding the right services, including prenatal care. LaneCounty ’s Prenatal Assistance Program is a member of Oregon MothersCare, a statewide program that helps women have healthy pregnancies.

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Think You Might be Pregnant?
Program Description
Benefits from the Prenatal Assistance Program
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Contact

We will assist you with a referral to WIC for nutritional education and assistance with vouchers for food necessary to have a health pregnancy and healthy baby. Information about other community resources is also available. Referral can also be made to our maternal child health nurses for maternity case management services

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Program Description and Goals
The Prenatal Assistance Program helps Lane County parents learn about and access the services they need, such as:

• Pregnancy testing
• Help applying for the Oregon Health Plan
• Help making their first prenatal care appointment with a doctor, nurse practitioner or midwife
• Information about the WIC program which gives them nutrition education and healthy food
• Information about Maternity Case Management services
• Education about pregnancy and childbirth
• Other information and services available to them

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Who Benefits from the Prenatal Assistance Program
The Prenatal Assitance Program helps hundreds of Lane County women access prenatal care early in their pregnancy. In Oregon, 1 in 5 women do not receive this care as soon as recommended, in the first three months of pregnancy. Early and complete prenatal care is very important for the good health of both mother and baby.

One subtle but vital prenatal service is educating and involving fathers during their partner’s pregnancy whenever possible. Many expecting fathers are unsure how to support their partner, who may be acting very differently because of the hormonal changes that come with pregnancy.  Knowledgeable prenatal program staff teach families about the normal changes to expect during pregnancy. Pregnancy can be very stressful on families, so this education and support can make the experience more calm and joyful.

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