Closing the Gap in Preterm Labor Education: Isabella Sesay’s Impact as a Zufall Public Health AmeriCorps Member

Isabella Sesay recently completed an 11-month service term with Public Health AmeriCorps, a volunteer program at Zufall Health dedicated to expanding the public health workforce, promoting health equity, and increasing access to services for underserved populations. Assigned to support the Prenatal Program at Zufall Health – West Orange under the guidance of Midge Clarke, RN, Sesay took on the critical task of preventing preterm labor among prenatal patients. Preterm labor, also known as premature labor, occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, posing risks to the baby’s health and development.

Sesay utilized preterm labor kits provided by the Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey to increase the chances of full-term deliveries. Each kit contained a water bottle, thermometer, urine dipsticks, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, and a stress ball. However, she quickly realized that distributing the kits alone was insufficient.

“Patients needed additional instruction to effectively manage their preterm labor risk factors,” said Sesay “We developed materials explaining the function and importance of each item in the kit along with information about preterm warning signs.”

One patient positively impacted by this initiative was Angelica*, a first-time mother with hypertension. Sesay noted, “Angelica appreciated the culturally responsive support I provided early in her pregnancy. She told me that I made her feel supported rather than judged or like a statistic.”

“Angelica appreciated the culturally responsive intervention I provided her early in her pregnancy. She told me that I made her feel supported, rather than judged or like a statistic,” Sesay recalls.

Thanks to this enhanced education and the close care provided by their medical team, most patients who received the kits delivered at full term. Angelica continues to benefit from ongoing support as a adult medicine patient and her child receiving care from our pediatrics department.

In the future, Sesay plans to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree specializing in Maternal and Child Health, alongside an accelerated Registered Nurse (RN) program. She looks forward to being able to further address health care disparities, enhance access to prenatal care, and advocate for improved outcomes among underserved populations.

To learn more about future opportunities with Zufall AmeriCorps, visit: http://zufallhealth.org/join-us/americorps-members.

*Name has been changed to protect patient privacy

Above: Isabella Sesay (right) and prenatal patient Kai hold a preterm labor kit and educational flyer.