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Give Your Baby the Best Possible Start

Babies born too early (especially before 32 weeks) have higher rates of death and disability. In 2018, preterm birth and low birth weight accounted for about 17% of infant deaths (deaths before 1 year of age).

The preterm birth rate rose for the fifth straight year in 2019. Additionally, racial and ethnic differences in preterm birth rates remain. For example, in 2019, the rate of preterm birth among African-American women (14.4%) was about 50 percent higher than the rate of preterm birth among white or Hispanic women (9.3% and 10% respectively).

Content Source: CDC Preterm Birth, 2020

Start Smart for Your Baby®

Our program for expecting and new mothers

Here for You and Your Baby – Every Step of the Way 

A healthy pregnancy, birth and mom should be the goal of all expecting parents and families. That means information, resources and a true partnership to ensure you and your baby get everything you need to make a smart start on your journey.

Your Health Net health plan may include Start Smart for Your Baby®, a program for women who are pregnant and for moms who have just had a baby. We want to help you take care of yourself and your baby through the whole process.

Start Smart for your Baby banner

"Every pregnancy is different whether it is your first, last, or somewhere in the middle. Start Smart for Baby is an opportunity for you to get customized support throughout your pregnancy and into the postpartum period. Many times pregnant people have questions that need answers! We are here to help with our one on one support."

– Michelle Estrada, RN BSN CCM, Manager, Care Management, Health Net

This benefit is included in most Health Net Plans.

Start Smart for Members

Start Smart for your Baby® brochure (PDF)

Footnotes

1 Effect of Frequency of Prenatal Care Visits on Perinatal Outcome Among Low-Risk Women – A Randomized Controlled Trial, March 20 1996 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/398623

2 John Hopkins Medicine, Staying Healthy During Pregnancy, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/staying-healthy-during-pregnancy/4-commonpregnancy-complications, accessed April 2, 2021

3 Why Avoid Alcohol During Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/it-starts-with-mom/why-avoid-alcohol-during-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May 2021.

4 Street Drugs and Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/street-drugs-and-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May, 2021.

5 Smoking During Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/smoking-during-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May, 2021.

6 Managing Stress During Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/it-starts-with-mom/managing-stress-during-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May, 2021.

7 Prescription Opiods During Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/prescription-opioids-during-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May, 2021.

8 Foods to Avoid or Limit During Pregnancy, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/foods-to-avoid-or-limit-during-pregnancy.aspx, accessed May, 2021.

9 After the Baby Arrives, https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/after.html, accessed May, 2021.

10 Your Postpartum Checkups, https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/your-postpartum-checkups.aspx, accessed May 2021.

11 Breastfeeding Your Baby, https://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/breastfeeding-your-baby.aspx, accessed May 2021.

12 The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) FAQ029, November 2016

This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Please always follow your health care provider's advice. Programs and services are subject to change.

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Last Updated: 01/10/2023