PRESS ADVISORY: Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia Launches Sunday!

May 7, 2020 - Atlanta, GA

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (HMHBGA) is proud to announce the launch of Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM - HMHBGA’s Perinatal Education Program that includes virtual online education and a dynamic online platform aimed at educating and empowering women and their families in the perinatal period. Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM has articles, videos, quizzes, blog posts to meaningfully engage pregnant and postpartum families in Georgia, with new content added weekly. The Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM platform also offers referral guides and toolkits available for providers and childbirth educators who need Georgia-specific maternal health resources.

A still frame from the Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM video on identifying post-birth warning signs to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity.

The official launch of the online platform (www.picklesandicecreamga.org) will take place on May 10, 2020 in honor of Mother's Day.

"We have worked so hard on creating Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM and we are extremely proud of the finished product," shared Mica Whitfield, HMHBGA Director of Programs. "Our goal was to ensure that Georgia moms have all the pregnancy & postpartum information they need at their fingertips, and an online community to support them, and that's what we've accomplished!"

Families and providers can access Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM content on the website, and through our social media accounts - Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The main page of the Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM online platform.

In 2019, HMHBGA released the report, An Evaluation of Current Prenatal Education Availability and Receptivity to Online Education in the State of Georgia. The report included an extensive review of prenatal education curriculums and referral practices across the State. The report surveyed over 200 prenatal providers with the strong majority stating that they would like an online resource that is evidence-based, and Georgia specific, to refer their clients to outside of traditional in-person classes at labor & delivery hospitals.

"Many women cannot travel to in-person classes, especially in rural areas of Georgia." explained Whitfield. "And right now, pregnant and postpartum women in all areas of the State, rural and urban, are staying home. We worked diligently to prepare the platform one month early in order to meet the high demand for online resources during this time of social distancing and isolation."

A still frame of the Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM video on the importance of Birth Spacing - waiting between pregnancies to reduce low-birthweight and prematurity.

Prenatal education has the ability to educate women on vital signs and symptoms, can encourage them to seek medical attention, and can increase their likelihood of following medical advice. This is especially important for Georgia families as our state continues to rank poorly for maternal and infant health outcomes (Georgia ranks 4th highest in low birthweight, 5th in prematurity, 6th in infant mortality, and worst in maternal mortality).

"We are so excited to finally share the Pickles & Ice Cream Georgia^TM online platform with families across Georgia!" shared Elise Blasingame, HMHBGA Executive Director. "After two years of research, focus groups, and engagement from our partners, we are very proud to share this essential resource meant to address current disparities in maternal and infant health in Georgia. We are thrilled to be able to offer this important resource at a time when pregnant and postpartum families need a great deal of virtual and online support."

CONTACT: Mica Whitfield 678-697-4971 | mica.whitfield@hmhbga.org

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia would like to thank the R. Howard Dobbs Jr. Foundation for making this project possible.