Pregnant women and new mothers may sometimes feel alone in the world, but there are a number of resources available in the Athens-Limestone area.

Officials say those resources are being utilized more and more each year as Limestone County’s population has grown by 10,000 people between 2006 and 2016. The latest census figures show 49.9 percent of the county’s population is female and 5.6 percent of the population is comprised of children under the age of 5.

“I know a lot of women don’t really know what resources are (available) and are surprised to learn about us,” said Amy Wright, director of the Women’s Resource Center in Athens. “They seem pleased by the options we give them and the community referrals.”

Private programs

As with most aspects of medical care, options are often determined by income level and type of insurance. For example, someone with privatized insurance may have a different set of resources than a female who is on Medicaid.

BlueCrossBlue Shield of Alabama offers the “Baby Yourself” program, which offers a number of resources to expectant mothers and their babies. Services include:

• Support and educational material from a Blue Cross registered nurse, experienced in prenatal care, labor and delivery and newborn care;

• A personal nurse that you can call with any questions or concerns throughout your pregnancy;

• Care coordination, including the arrangement of home health services when indicated, for high-risk pregnancies; and

• Gifts that support healthy habits, highlight the importance of prenatal care and address the changes and challenges that accompany pregnancy.

More information about the program can be found at http://bit.ly/BabyYourself.

Medicaid patients

There are just as many — if not more — resources for women who may not have private insurance. According to Alabama Medicaid, 26.5 percent of the state’s population was eligible for Medicaid, while 20 percent of Limestone County’s population was eligible.

For pregnant women on Medicaid, there is the Best Start program, which is part of HealthGroup Alabama. Best Start holds the state’s Medicaid contract to provide all services to pregnant women in 10 counties across North Alabama, including Limestone.

The program is split into 14 districts statewide, with North Alabama comprising District 1 (northwest Alabama) and District 2 (northeast-central Alabama).

Program Director Laura Thompson said between those districts, Best Start is involved in 5,700 deliveries per year. She said the total number served is about 10 percent more because 10 percent of the women may miscarry or move out of the area after a case file has been started.

Best Start doesn’t handle patient care but instead the case management part of a woman’s care.

“The ladies need resources so they come in and meet with a care coordinator who keeps up with her throughout the pregnancy,” said Laura Thompson, Best Start program director. “There’s another encounter (with the case manager) after delivery.”

Sessions with Best Start coordinators cover everything from prenatal care and nutrition to labor and delivery and infant health care and child care. The agency may also provide resources to women who need help with bills and even transportation.

“Some (Best Start) recipients have good, solid relationships with family and have support, but that’s a rarity,” Thompson said. “Most patients need resources throughout their pregnancy.”

Following delivery, Best Start acts as a resource for a number of potential needs, including:

• Classes on parenting and breastfeeding;

• Transportation for infants or children with medical needs through Kid One Transport;

• Printed educational materials, including how to apply for food stamps and Alabama Women, Infants and Children (WIC);

• Information on how to give a baby up for adoption;

• How to obtain a GED through Calhoun Community College; and

• Hotline numbers for women who have suffered physical or emotional abuse.

For more information on Best Start, visit http://hgofa.com/best-start or call 256-233-9238.