Our Programs · Pregnancy & New Moms
You shouldn't have to do this alone.
Support through pregnancy, birth, and the first year, from a team that includes the state's most experienced community doula workforce.
What We Offer
Care that starts early and stays close.
A proper first prenatal visit, on the spot. The visit that matters most.
We connect you to a doctor who will see you through delivery, and help you get there.
A trained doula before, during, and after birth. The kind of support that changes outcomes.
Tdap and flu vaccines that protect both mom and baby.
Including chlamydia and gonorrhea testing. Private, quick, and judgment-free.
Support in the fragile weeks after birth, plus connection to WIC, housing help, and other family supports.
Most services are free at community events. Our team speaks English and Spanish, and we can arrange other languages.
Doula care through every birth
Where to Find Us
Care during a trip you're already making.
- WIC offices, where you get care during a visit you're already making
- Community centers, churches, and baby showers
- Head Start centers and family-service sites
- Summer health fairs across Chicagoland
Why It Matters
The right visit, early, changes everything.
of Illinois pregnancy-related deaths in 2021 to 2022 were potentially preventable.
Illinois Department of Public HealthBlack women in Illinois face twice the pregnancy-related mortality of white women.
Illinois Department of Public HealthPrism delivers doula services through Cook County Health at Stroger Hospital, the only around-the-clock doula team in Illinois.
Prism HealthMost of these tragedies trace back to the same thing: care that started too late, or support that fell away after the baby came. The first weeks of pregnancy, and the first weeks home, are when the right visit changes everything. Our community teams carry hospital-grade support out into the neighborhoods.
A Day at the Clinic
What a visit can look like
A 22-year-old is eight weeks pregnant. She doesn't have an OB yet, and she missed two appointments after losing her transportation. She does make it to her WIC office. She has to.
Our maternal health team is there that day. A clinician sees her on the spot: a proper first visit, prenatal labs, and a plan. Before she leaves, she's connected to an OB who will see her through delivery, and to help with housing. No extra trip. No falling through the cracks.
Common Questions
What moms ask us.
How much does it cost?
Most services are free at community events. You don't need insurance, and no one is turned away.
What is a doula?
A doula is a trained support person who stays with you through pregnancy, birth, and the weeks after. Doulas answer questions, speak up for you, and make sure you're never alone in the process. Prism runs the doula program at Cook County Health's Stroger Hospital, the only 24/7 doula team in Illinois.
I don't have a doctor for my pregnancy yet. Can you help?
Yes. That's one of the most important things we do. We'll connect you with an OB or midwife who will see you through delivery, and help with the practical parts, like appointments and getting there.
Is the visit private?
Yes. Every visit happens in a private space, and what you share stays between you and your care team.
Can I bring my kids or my partner?
Of course. Bring whoever supports you. If your kids need checkups too, our children's health team can often see them at the same event.
I just had my baby. Is there support for me?
Yes. The weeks after birth matter just as much. We do postpartum check-ins and connect you to WIC, housing help, and other community resources, whatever your family needs.
Come see us. Bring your questions.
Our maternal health team is in the community all season. Walk up and say hello.