Auburn Nursing advances maternal health through new prenatal clinic

Amy Pridemore, left, assistant clinical professor and coordinator of clinics for AUCON, and Claire Thompson, certified women's health nurse practitioner and AUCON associate clinical professor, examine a patient's medical record at an AUCON medical clinic.

The Auburn University College of Nursing is partnering with East Alabama Health to expand much-needed prenatal care services for women in east Alabama with the opening of the East Alabama Community Prenatal Clinic. The clinic will open Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, at the EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital campus in Valley, Ala.

Co-operated by AUCON and East Alabama Health, the clinic will provide prenatal care for pregnant women in Chambers County and surrounding communities. It will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

“At Auburn, we believe our mission to advance health and healthcare extends far beyond the walls of the university. Opening this prenatal clinic is a meaningful way for us to live out that mission by bringing compassionate, high-quality care directly to women and families in rural Alabama,” said Amy Pridemore, assistant clinical professor and coordinator of clinics for AUCON. “Every mother deserves to feel supported, seen, and cared for throughout her pregnancy, regardless of her ZIP code. It is incredibly special to see Auburn faculty, students, healthcare partners, and communities come together to make that promise a reality.”

Patients visiting the clinic will be treated by Claire Thompson, a certified women’s health nurse practitioner and AUCON associate clinical professor.

Thompson is passionate about improving maternal outcomes by increasing access to health care for women before, during and between pregnancies. Her clinical areas of experience include neonatal intensive care, high-risk pregnancies, maternal-fetal medicine, and general women’s health.

“Access to quality prenatal care is one of the most important factors in improving maternal and infant health outcomes, particularly in rural communities,” Thompson said. “This clinic will help remove barriers to care by bringing essential prenatal services closer to patients and families, ensuring women have the support, education, and healthcare resources they need throughout pregnancy and beyond.”

The East Alabama Community Prenatal clinic will provide expectant mothers with a convenient option for check-ups, urgent treatment, pregnancy care coordination, and general care between their standard OB/GYN visits. Along with prenatal care, the clinic will also offer pregnancy tests, vaccines, and treatment for urinary tract infections.

Access to regular and consistent prenatal care is critical for the health of expectant mothers and their children. For pregnant women living in rural areas, traveling to visit their obstetrician can be a barrier to adequate preparation and care. The new clinic aims to help reduce that burden by bringing care directly to where patients need it.

“Healthy families are the heartbeat of our community,” said Greg Nichols, administrator of EAMC-Lanier Rural Emergency Hospital. “When we ensure every expectant mother has access to quality prenatal care regardless of where she lives, we are not just protecting one person—we are safeguarding the health of our entire community’s future.”