Multidisciplinary collaborative development of a plain-language prenatal education book.

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Health Communication
• Patient Education

Background:

• Pregnant women actively seek health information for self and fetal well-being.
• Health literacy challenges can impede access to understandable health information, especially written materials.
• Effective health education relies on plain language for readability and usability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop standardized, plain-language prenatal education materials for a diverse population of childbearing women.
• To address the need for accessible and comprehensive health information during pregnancy and postpartum.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary initiative led by Boston Medical Center's midwifery service.
• Collaboration included midwives, physicians, nurses, doulas, art students, and a literacy consultant.
• Content development focused on readability, usability, and a woman-centered approach.

Main Results:

• Development of the "Hey Mama!" book, a comprehensive plain-language prenatal education resource.
• The book covers pregnancy, labor, postpartum, and newborn care.
• Standardized materials designed for a diverse range of women.

Conclusions:

• The "Hey Mama!" book provides accessible, woman-centered information.
• Plain language is crucial for effective prenatal health education.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration can create valuable patient education tools.