Cost-Benefit of a Nursing Telephone Intervention to Reduce Preterm and Low-Birthweight Births in an African American Clinic Population

Background. A cost-benefit analysis was performed to estimate the cost-savings obtained from a nursing telephone intervention delivered to pregnant women identified as being at risk for preterm or low-birthweight births. Methods. After being screened for eligibility, a total of 1,554 women receiving prenatal care in a clinic located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina were randomized to intervention and control groups. Women in the intervention group received telephone calls from a registered nurse one or two times each week from the 24th through the 37th week of gestation. Results. No clinical benefits were realized by Caucasian participants. The intervention reduced preterm and low-birthweight births, and resulted in cost savings, for African-American mothers ages 19 and over. No significant differences were seen in the rates of low-birthweight or preterm births and no cost savings were realized from intervention with women ages 18 and younger. Conclusions. A prenatal nursing support intervention in a clinic population of pregnant African American women was cost-beneficial for these adults (≤19 years of age).