How VA maternity care changed this Veteran’s journey

Naticia Sapp is an Air Force Veteran who medically retired after five years of service. She currently lives near Atlanta, Georgia. A registered nurse by trade, Sapp now serves as a community care doula and youth outreach coordinator. Despite her health care background, she was not aware of VA maternity care services until one of her clients told her about it.

During a conversation with the client—also a Veteran—Sapp learned that VA offered maternity care support through referrals to community providers. Her client explained she was receiving care at a local hospital, all covered by VA through the Maternity Care Coordination (MCC) program.

“I had already had two kids at military facilities and was using Tricare, paying a lot out of pocket,” said Sapp. “Learning I could receive maternity care locally, with support from VA, was a game-changer.”

Getting started with VA Maternity Care

By the time she reached out to VA, Sapp was in her second trimester with her third child. She quickly established care with her local VA provider at the Atlanta VA, who submitted a referral for community-based maternity care. She was then assigned a maternity care coordinator who walked her through the process.

“My maternity care team was really great,” she said. “My liaison contacted me directly and sent me all the info I needed—even information for supplies like bras, milk supply bags, you name it. It was all taken care of, so I had less to stress about.”

Although unsure of how the process would work, Sapp was pleasantly surprised. “They gave me a list of in-network providers, and I was able to get an appointment pretty quickly,” she said. “I got labs, ultrasounds, and full care at my first community appointment—it really saved me time, money and stress.”

Support beyond the physical: Mental health and emotional well-being

Knowing she had experienced postpartum depression during her previous pregnancies, Sapp told her MCC team early on. They connected her with a maternity mental health coordinator.

“She gave me the tools to prevent postpartum depression sooner than later,” she shared. “They checked on me frequently during pregnancy and monthly after I gave birth.”

Sapp also took advantage of group support offerings like mindfulness and yoga classes. “It was a sisterhood,” she said. “Being with other women Veterans going through the same thing made a big difference.”

Lactation and postpartum support that matters

When she had trouble with pumping, Sapp’s care team provided a lactation consultant who helped her through the challenges. And when her baby had a health scare and was admitted to the ICU, her mental health coordinator reached out daily.

“I didn’t even know I could go to the VA for maternity care. I was being seen by a local OB within a few weeks. I always heard that VA takes a long time. But my maternity team moved fast and found me the closest hospital. They stayed in touch constantly—even by text—which helped me feel supported and kept depression at bay.”

Advice for other women Veterans

“Know your resources. You are not alone,” she urged. “Reach out to your MCC team—they will get you in quickly. Don’t be shy about taking the classes. You’ll meet other women Veterans and learn so much from each other. They even offered gardening, yoga, sewing and other hobbies. Ask what’s available and take full advantage of it all!”

VA services for pregnant Veterans

As a pregnant Veteran enrolled in VA health care, you have access to a wide range of maternity care services designed to support you at every stage of your pregnancy. VA offers:

• Personalized maternity care coordination: Every VA facility has a dedicated Maternity Care Coordinator to help arrange your care, schedule appointments, and connect you with essential services and supplies throughout your pregnancy and the year afterward.
• Comprehensive prenatal care: VA partners with trusted community providers to ensure you receive high-quality maternity care, covering all prenatal visits, ultrasounds and necessary medical tests.
• Support for non-medical needs: VA understands that factors such as stable housing, nutritious food and mental health care contribute to a healthy pregnancy. Your VA health care provider can connect you to resources that address these needs.
• Pregnancy & Childbirth: A Goal Oriented Guide to Prenatal Care: This “Pregnancy Purple Book” will guide you each step of the way through your pregnancy. Each visit section will include what to expect at your visit, signs to report and patient education.
• Pregnancy passport: Use this “passport” to keep your pregnancy information in one place. You can save this form on your computer or tablet or print out the pages to manually write in the information. Bring the file or print out to each of your health care appointments.

For more information on VA maternity care services, visit VA’s Maternity Care page.