In 1970, a multidisciplinary group of perinatal care providers formed the Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care (WAPC). WAPC was organized for the purpose of promoting perinatal health to all mothers and infants in Wisconsin. The original objectives of WAPC were to organize perinatal centers around the state; to educate staff providing services within these centers; and to educate staff in outlying hospitals about how to stabilize, treat, and refer perinatal patients. This was a cooperative effort between WAPC, Wisconsin birth hospitals, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. WAPC’s leadership of the effort to regionalize perinatal care put Wisconsin “on the map” as a leader in the delivery of perinatal services.

By 1977, regionalized perinatal centers were established throughout the state and the emphasis of WAPC began to shift. The objectives of the association evolved to better describe and educate on the regional perinatal system and focus on preventive care. The focus on preventive care remains today, with an emphasis on helping birthing people enter pregnancy as healthy and informed as possible, a concept referred to as “preconception care.” WAPC is a national leader in the development of preconception health educational tools for providers and consumers.

In 2014, WAPC and many key state partners, including the Perinatal Foundation, formed the Wisconsin Perinatal Quality Collaborative (WisPQC), bringing Wisconsin to the National Network of PQCs. Through WisPQC, WAPC supports the perinatal workforce through quality improvement science education and initiatives.     

Today, WAPC remains a leader in the advancement and improvement of perinatal care. While the health care environment continues to change, the mission and purpose of WAPC remains stable–to be an association within which individuals and organizations come together to address issues in perinatal care.