This article has been revised and corrected from the original version.
Beverly Grove-based Almond Life Inc., a startup obstetrics and gynecology practice with $7 million in venture funding that does business as Almond ObGyn, is launching a group pregnancy care program next month. The program is designed to provide full-service pregnancy care for expectant mothers for a flat fee of $2,500.
The program aims to combine comprehensive medical care for expectant mothers with group workshops and educational programs. The principal target market is pregnant women with commercial insurance where a preferred provider organization plan would cover at least some of the cost.
The aim, according to Almond co-founders Carly Allen and Tara Raffi, is to improve birth outcomes. Almond’s announcement cites a June Commonwealth Fund issue brief that shows the U.S. has the highest rate of childbirth death among developed nations and that roughly a quarter of American women experience post-partum depression or anxiety.
Despite this, the nation’s health care system has done little to innovate or offer improved alternatives to the standard of pregnancy care for decades, Allen and Raffi said in Almond’s announcement.
“Together with our expert team, we build a supportive nest that delivers better outcomes,” Raffi said. “This program emphasizes both physical and emotional well-being, fostering a sense of community among expectant mothers.”
Almond was founded in 2022 with the aim of providing top-tier ob-gyn services, both in-person and via telehealth. The company has secured $7 million in venture funding, though it declined to name the funders.
The group care program at Almond will offer prenatal care in 10 group sessions of 90 minutes each led by a midwife and a consistent group of other people at the same stage of their pregnancy, according to the announcement.
In addition, each expectant mother will be able to designate an obstetrics/gynecology specialist for their delivery.
Many hospitals and nonprofits offer classes for expectant mothers in a community program setting, though Almond’s announcement indicates their classes will be more structured and comprehensive than many similar programs.
Also, the Almond program’s flat fee of $2,500 with no discounts and insurance coverage through PPOs, appears to be aimed at a more upscale clientele than many community pregnancy classes.
Almond also offers women gynecology services for a flat annual fee of $425.
