"I Didn't Know": Pregnant Women's Oral Health Literacy Experiences and Future Intervention Preferences

This study explored women's 1) experiences in accessing, understanding, appraising, and applying oral health information and services, and 2) preferences regarding oral health promotion during pregnancy.

Pregnant women ages 18 to 45 were recruited from an obstetrics and gynecology clinic at a large university hospital. Focus groups were conducted using the four domains of the integrated model of health literacy (access, understand, appraise, apply) and were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Thematic analysis was employed using Atlas.ti.

Participants (n = 17) were Hispanic (53%), married (67%), college educated (87%), employed (80%), and insured (100%). Most participants reported not accessing or receiving oral health information during pregnancy, with limited information received from less trustworthy sources (Internet; friends/family) and focusing on symptoms or myths. Participants revealed gaps in basic oral health understanding and demonstrated limited ability to evaluate or apply information, such as engaging in positive oral health behaviors, according to their needs and personal health status. Participants strongly desired that oral health promotion be integrated into prenatal care.

Participants described missed opportunities to improve oral health literacy and desire future health messages that facilitate patient-provider communication on oral health during prenatal care visits. Future health interventions should convey the importance and associated risks, be time efficient and patient centered, and include patient activation to prompt oral health-seeking behaviors during pregnancy.