Evaluation of a Pathways Community Hub in Texas for Pregnant Mothers and Their Infants

Pathways Community Hub (PCH) is a model of care for pregnant mothers and infants designed to improve maternal and infant outcomes. This study examined the characteristics, service use, costs, and newborn outcomes of pregnant mothers who participated in a PCH in Texas from 2019 to 2022. PCH program data were linked to Medicaid claims data for mothers and their infants for analysis. Medicaid data were available for 90 mothers who completed the PCH program and 68 mothers who participated but did not complete the PCH program. The results found that compared with matched control groups, pregnant mothers who participated in the PCH incurred higher prenatal costs and delivery costs. Mothers who completed the PCH program had a significantly higher number of postpartum visits. However, mothers who completed the PCH were significantly more likely to have newborns with preterm births, low birth weight, and neonatal intensive care admissions than matched controls. Sensitivity analyses also found no significant differences in birth outcomes between PCH participants and matched controls. These findings suggest a limited impact of PCH on modifying maternal and newborn outcomes, but replication is needed.