Programs

Pregnant Mothers and Infants

In May 2007, PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program began providing preventive dental care services to pregnant women and infants at Sullivan County Public Health Services in Liberty, N.Y.

All the women receive a preventive dental visit and exam, and nearly every woman has some form of gum disease. “Many of the patients we are seeing tell us they’ve had problems accessing dental care due to such factors as lack of transportation, lack of providers, etc.,” says CDHP Program Administrator Dr. M. Cecilia Escarra.

Research shows that periodontal diseases in pregnant women may increase the risk of pre term and low weight birth. Annually, more than 2,400 babies (11 percent of births) in the rural areas of Sullivan County and the outskirts of Ulster County are born pre term, and the rate of low birth weight is 6.4 percent. Preterm delivery increases infants’ risk of death and lasting disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, lung and gastrointestinal problems, and vision and hearing loss.

Most of the mothers that PRASAD CDHP serves are enrolled with the Community Health Worker Program, the purpose of which is to assist low-income clients in accessing services that are needed during their pregnancy. Other organizations in Sullivan County who serve infants and pregnant women are Maternal Infants Service Network, WIC, Head Start, Public Health Services, and Healthy Beginnings. PRASAD CDHP is participating in the Sullivan County Perinatal Consortium in order to work in partnership with these various organizations and agencies to reach the many young women and infants in need of support.

PRASAD CDHP
465 Brickman Road
Hurleyville, NY 12747
Phone: 845.434.0376 | Fax: 845.434.0377