ACOG’s Prenatal Care Overhaul
ACOG’s Prenatal Care Overhaul: This is what Postpartum Support International was built for
By Nancy Goh Kelly
The shift we need
This is the Mother’s Day gift of 2025.
In April, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) released new guidance that will radically transform pregnancy care in the U.S.
Right now, pregnant women get 12-14 standard visits, regardless of their needs or risk.
But too many moms still face mistreatment, racism, and preventable emergencies. 80% of maternal deaths are tied to factors outside the clinic, like housing, food, transportation, mental health, and trust in the health system.
What’s in ACOG’s new guidance?
This new model is finally in touch with the realities of all new moms. It shifts prenatal care from reacting to crisis to preventing it with more tailored, flexible care:
Here’s what it prioritizes:
Early screening for mental health and social drivers of health.
Real support like rides, housing help, and food access–not just referrals.
Partnerships with doulas, care coordinators, social workers, and community orgs.
Flexible care options like group visits, home monitoring, and telehealth.
Closed-loop referrals that ensure help isn’t just suggested, but actually delivered.
What this means for PSI
ACOG’s guidance validates PSI’s mission: caring for moms means addressing more than medical and physical needs. PSI has already built the system and resources that OB teams need to deliver whole-person care. Now, we’re ready to scale that support.
Training and clinical support
PMH-C Certification: Empowers providers to confidently screen, treat, and manage mental health needs.
Screening tools: Downloadable, evidence-based tools including EPDS, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PASS, and MDQ.
Psychiatric consult line: Real-time answers for prescribers from perinatal psychiatry experts.
Community care
Support groups: 50+ virtual options, including culturally tailored and conditions-specific spaces for pregnant moms of color, ADHD, anxiety, and more.
Postpartum planning classes: Help families prepare for the realities of life after birth.
Provider directory: Easy-to-search list of certified PSI providers across the country.
Closed-loop support
Free HelpLine (800-944-4773): Fast access for moms and providers to someone who listens and knows what to do next, available in English and Spanish.
Local coordinators: Connect families with real-time referrals and trusted support in all 50 states.
PSI equips OBs to care for the whole mom
ACOG’s new guidance is a call to action, and PSI’s community is uniquely positioned to respond.
- PSI has the tools, training, and trust to help OB care teams deliver on this bold vision.
- PSI can embed our deep mental health expertise directly into OB workflows–making mental health care a standard part of prenatal care.
- PSI can provide a trusted handoff to our network of support groups, therapists, and planning tools.
- PSI can help OBs catch red flags early with our resources, before they become crises.
ACOG just raised the bar. And PSI is here to help OB teams meet it–with whole-person, wraparound care that every mom deserves.
Donate or partner to expand PSI’s work here.
If you or a loved one needs help, contact PSI’s Helpline at 1-800-944-4773.
Nancy Goh Kelly, MPH, is a PSI coordinator for Minnesota and a maternal mental health advocate. She is a healthcare strategist and operator, and is passionate about redefining the care experience for new moms. Her work is featured on www.nancygohkelly.com, March of Dimes, Motherly, and Postpartum Support International’s blog.
