Kansas

In Kansas, perinatal care is provided by a diverse team of healthcare professionals and support services dedicated to ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and their babies. Below is a comprehensive overview of these providers and services:

Perinatal Providers

Physicians (Obstetricians/Gynecologists - OB/GYNs)

OB/GYNs in Kansas offer comprehensive care for both routine and high-risk pregnancies. They provide specialized maternal-fetal care and advanced care for high-risk pregnancies, ensuring the health of both mother and baby. They are available in hospitals and clinics throughout the state.

Nurses and Midwives

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) in Kansas focus on personalized, patient-centered care, emphasizing natural childbirth experiences with minimal interventions. Midwives in Kansas provide services that encompass prenatal, childbirth, and gynecological care.
Kansas grants full practice authority to CNMs, allowing them to provide comprehensive maternity care independently. They are licensed through the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) in Kansas are certified through the North American Registry of Midwives and may provide out-of-hospital birth services.

Physician Assistants (PAs)

PAs collaborate with physicians to deliver prenatal care, routine checkups, and postpartum support, enhancing the accessibility of perinatal care in both urban and rural areas. Their role is integral to comprehensive maternal healthcare teams, ensuring continuous and coordinated care throughout the perinatal period.

Other Perinatal Professionals

Doulas

Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who provide continuous emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. Notably, as of July 2024, Kansas Medicaid (KanCare) has expanded coverage to include various doula services, recognizing them as non-physician providers. To find Doulas in Kansas, click here or here

Home Visitors

Kansas Home Visiting is a voluntary program that connects trained family-support professionals with expectant and new parents, offering services designed to improve pregnancy outcomes, parenting skills, and early childhood health and development. These services are provided at no cost to families.

Behavioral Health Professionals

Specialists in maternal mental health address issues such as postpartum depression and anxiety. These professionals offer comprehensive peripartum mental healthcare, providing evidence-based treatments for women before, during, and after childbirth. Additionally, Kansas Connecting Communities (KCC) is a collaborative initiative dedicated to improving maternal and child health by addressing perinatal behavioral health.

Lactation Consultants

Certified lactation consultants assist with breastfeeding challenges, offering education and support.

Rural and Tribal Healthcare Support

Rural Healthcare Support

Recognizing the challenges faced by pregnant women in rural areas, Kansas has implemented programs to enhance access to maternity care. The Maternal Health Innovation Program aims to improve maternal health outcomes by reducing the risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, with a focus on underserved populations. Additionally, the Kansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative works to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies through evidence-based practices and quality improvement processes.
Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) work to improve access to primary care in underserved rural areas. These clinics are certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, enhancing their ability to provide prenatal and delivery services. Learn more

Tribal Healthcare Support

Efforts are underway to provide culturally appropriate maternal healthcare services to Native American communities in Kansas, focusing on home-visiting services and support for pregnant and parenting families with young children.

These comprehensive services and initiatives reflect Kansas's commitment to supporting perinatal health across diverse communities, ensuring that all families have access to the care and resources they need during pregnancy and beyond.
In Kansas, perinatal care is provided by a diverse team of healthcare professionals and support services dedicated to ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and their babies. Below is a comprehensive overview of these providers and services:

Perinatal Providers

Physicians (Obstetricians/Gynecologists - OB/GYNs)

OB/GYNs in Kansas offer comprehensive care for both routine and high-risk pregnancies. For instance, Midwest Perinatal Associates provides specialized maternal-fetal medicine services across multiple locations, including Overland Park and Independence. Additionally, the Fetal Health Center at Overland Park Regional Medical Center offers advanced care for high-risk pregnancies, ensuring the health of both mother and baby.

Nurses and Midwives

Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) in Kansas focus on personalized, patient-centered care, emphasizing natural childbirth experiences with minimal interventions. The University of Kansas Health System provides midwifery services that encompass prenatal, childbirth, and gynecological care. Furthermore, the MIDWIVES KAN initiative aims to expand and diversify the maternity care workforce by increasing the number of CNMs in the state.

Physician Assistants (PAs)

PAs collaborate with physicians to deliver prenatal care, routine checkups, and postpartum support, enhancing the accessibility of perinatal care in both urban and rural areas. Their role is integral to comprehensive maternal healthcare teams, ensuring continuous and coordinated care throughout the perinatal period.

Other Perinatal Professionals

Doulas

Doulas are trained non-medical professionals who provide continuous emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment offers a Doula Toolkit to support providers assisting pregnant and postpartum women. Notably, as of July 2024, Kansas Medicaid (KanCare) has expanded coverage to include various doula services, recognizing them as non-physician providers.

Home Visitors

Kansas Home Visiting is a voluntary program that connects trained family-support professionals with expectant and new parents, offering services designed to improve pregnancy outcomes, parenting skills, and early childhood health and development. These services are provided at no cost to families.

Behavioral Health Professionals

Specialists in maternal mental health address issues such as postpartum depression and anxiety. The University of Kansas Health System offers comprehensive peripartum mental healthcare, providing evidence-based treatments for women before, during, and after childbirth. Additionally, Kansas Connecting Communities (KCC) is a collaborative initiative dedicated to improving maternal and child health by addressing perinatal behavioral health.

Lactation Consultants

Certified lactation consultants assist with breastfeeding challenges, offering education and support. The University of Kansas Health System provides lactation services, including a helpline available seven days a week for breastfeeding questions. Similarly, Stormont Vail Health's Breastfeeding Center in Topeka offers support from board-certified lactation consultants and certified breastfeeding educators.

Rural and Tribal Healthcare Support

Rural Healthcare Support

Recognizing the challenges faced by pregnant women in rural areas, Kansas has implemented programs to enhance access to maternity care. The Maternal Health Innovation Program aims to improve maternal health outcomes by reducing the risk of severe maternal morbidity and mortality, with a focus on underserved populations. Additionally, the Kansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative works to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies through evidence-based practices and quality improvement processes.

Tribal Healthcare Support

Efforts are underway to provide culturally appropriate maternal healthcare services to Native American communities in Kansas, focusing on home-visiting services and support for pregnant and parenting families with young children.

These comprehensive services and initiatives reflect Kansas's commitment to supporting perinatal health across diverse communities, ensuring that all families have access to the care and resources they need during pregnancy and beyond.