Start Smart for Your Baby®, Centene’s Maternity and Child Health Program, Evolves to Meet Community Needs

11/03/2025

A mother holding a newborn baby

Pregnancy and postpartum care are deeply personal journeys, often filled with joy, uncertainty, and challenges. To meet the growing and diverse needs of our members during this phase of their lives, our flagship maternal care program, Start Smart for Your Baby® (Start Smart), continues to evolve.

Start Smart was born from Centene’s desire to make a meaningful impact on maternal health outcomes nationwide. Centene manages more than 300,000 deliveries per year, with more than 90% occurring within our Medicaid membership. Our unique position gives us the responsibility and opportunity to significantly improve birth outcomes and support our members before, during, and after pregnancy.

 

Addressing Gaps in Maternal and Child Health

Across the U.S., 35% of counties are considered maternity care deserts, areas with limited or no access to obstetric providers or delivery units, affecting 2.3 million women of reproductive age and 150,000 births in 2022.

Start Smart is designed to help bridge these gaps in care, guiding members through their pregnancy journey while accounting for barriers such as transportation, access to providers, and other drivers of health.

 

Oklahoma Complete Health member Sparkle’s journey shows how care goes beyond coverage, offering guidance, resources, and support.

How Start Smart Supports Families

Start Smart offers personalized support that blends mental health, physical wellness, disease management, and vital health education. Since its launch in 2008, the program has continuously evolved to improve outcomes for mothers and infants alike. The latest enhancements, launched in summer 2024, reflect our commitment to innovation and equity in maternal care:

  • Trimester-Based Assessments

    The shift to a trimester-based assessment approach now connects members to care managers for an assessment each trimester so the care and support they receive evolve with their needs throughout pregnancy. This includes identifying and addressing physical, behavioral, and social health concerns, including sensitive issues like intimate partner violence and family planning goals.

    The fourth-trimester assessment ensures that support extends beyond delivery, focusing on breastfeeding, nutrition, and mental health.

  • Predictive Risk Modeling for Better Outcomes

    Start Smart uses a proprietary risk model that categorizes members based on their likelihood of having complications during pregnancy. This model has been enhanced and over the last year the new approach has accurately identified 97% of high-risk pregnancies for outreach.

    This data-driven approach enables tailored outreach and proactive care management, reducing complications such as maternal morbidities, preterm births, and low birth-weight infants.

  • Digital Education and Connection to Care

    The launch of StartSmartForYourBaby.com expands access to clinically vetted digital education and breastfeeding resources, helping families make informed decisions and stay connected to care.

    The platform also supports self-guided learning for parents and caregivers, helping members understand what to expect before, during, and after pregnancy.

Impact and Commitment to Healthier Beginnings

These enhancements are more than programmatic updates; they represent strategic investments in improving maternal and child health outcomes. By combining predictive analytics, compassionate care management, and digital tools, Start Smart helps to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality, lower healthcare costs, and minimize pregnancy-related complications.

Through this program, Centene continues to fulfill its mission to help members live healthier lives — starting from the very first days of life.  

Key Takeaways

  • Start Smart for Your Baby® supports more than 330,000 Medicaid births annually.
  • The program includes trimester-based care, predictive analytics, and digital education tools.
  • Enhancements launched in 2024 strengthen access, personalization, and outreach for families.
  • The program reflects Centene’s broader commitment to maternal and child health.
  • The launch of StartSmartforYourBaby.com expands access to health education for parents and caregivers.