Baby and Me Tobacco Free Program Poised to ‘Move the Needle’ in Health Outcomes for Moms and Babies
(photo: Sharon Sobey, Baby and Me Coordinator, and CEO and OB/GYN Dr. Rashad Ali with an OB patient at Family Health Center.)
Dr. Rashad Ali has an OB/GYN practice at Family Health Center in Laurel and is an administrative leader as CEO. But he is passionate about women’s health and for Mississippi women and babies to have better health outcomes. In an effort to do so in his practice, he has embraced and implemented the Baby and Me Tobacco Free program.
“I had 10 years in private practice,” said Dr. Ali. During one of those years, he delivered 465 babies on his own (no supporting obstetricians in the practice.) “I didn’t have the luxury of having access to social services to offer patients,” he said, namely the WIC program, pharmacy services, and “all the supportive elements that exist at Family Health Center.”
“We were able to render good care, but I always felt if I could have these other pieces, it could enhance the care of these women,” said Dr. Ali.
When women come to Family Health Center for prenatal care, there is a screening process to find out if they are using tobacco, or at risk for doing so.
“Many of those ladies who smoke know that they really don’t want to smoke or harm their children, “ said Dr. Ali. We try to get into learning why (the patient is) smoking. And that is the education component that I didn’t have in private practice. I didn’t have the time or the individuals, or the resources to dedicate to that.
“When I came over to Family Health Center, and I saw all of these resources that I was void of in private practice, boy, I was like a kid in a candy shop,” said Dr. Ali. “If I’ve got all of this, we might as well put it to use. I know exactly how to use this to get a better outcome for the moms and babies.”
Baby and Me Tobacco-free is an evidence-based tobacco cessation program that offers counseling and incentives, and support for pregnant moms who are trying to quit tobacco while pregnant and to stay quit once the baby is born. “We practice good evidence-based medicine here, said Dr. Ali. “So, when the champion of the Baby and Me program Maria Morris made me aware of it, I wanted to champion her efforts.”
Because of the pre-term birthrate in Mississippi, and the negative health outcomes for pregnant people and their babies in Mississippi, Dr. Ali, in his efforts to foster improvements, decided to make the Baby and Me program a priority in his practice and support Ms. Morris’ efforts.
“All she needs is a little support, so why not get behind it and be a champion for someone who is trying to implement a program that is going to lift the numbers in Mississippi, “said Dr. Ali about focusing on bettering the health outcomes for moms. Sharon Sobey is the Baby and Me Tobacco free coordinator at Family Health Center. Dr. Ali says that Ms. Sobey is present many times during the patient/physician visit, so she can learn about the patient's social determinants, and try to help them be successful in the program to quit tobacco use.
To date, Family Health Center has enrolled 15 patients during the last quarter – an awesome job! The innovation of the Baby and Me program holds promise for better health outcomes for the mothers and the babies, including less pre-term birth and a healthier environment for the baby to live in at home.
“We have got to get out of the bottom somehow. And I do believe that programs like that, when people catch on, will eventually begin to move the needle. We must move the needle."
The Baby and Me program is a virtual program as of November 1, 2022. To refer a pregnant mom who wants to stop using tobacco, visit the Baby and Me Tobacco Free website https://chcams.org/baby-me-tobacco-free-program/. Self-referral is also available at this website.
