Abstract
Background
Previous research has shown pregnant people are not knowledgeable about preeclampsia,
a significant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. This lack of knowledge may
impact their ability to report symptoms, comply with recommendations, and receive
appropriate follow-up care. Pregnant people commonly seek information from sources
outside their treating clinician, including pregnancy-specific books and online sources.
We examined commonly used preeclampsia information sources to evaluate whether pregnant
people are receiving up-to-date, guideline-based information.
Methods
We conducted a content analysis of preeclampsia-related information in top-ranking
websites and bestselling pregnancy books. We used American College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists preeclampsia guidelines to construct a codebook, which we used to
examine source content completeness and accuracy. For each source, we analyzed information
about preeclampsia diagnosis, patient-reported symptoms, risk factors, prevention,
treatment, and complications.
Results
Across 19 included sources (13 websites and 6 books), we found substantial variation
in completeness and accuracy of preeclampsia information. We found high rates of mentions
for preeclampsia symptoms. Risk factors were more commonly included in online sources
than book sources. Most sources mentioned treatment options, including blood pressure
medication and giving birth; however, one-third of online sources positively mentioned
the nonrecommended treatment of bed rest. Prevention methods, including prenatal aspirin
for high-risk pregnancies, and long-term complications of preeclampsia were infrequently
mentioned.
Conclusions
Varying rates of accuracy in patient-facing preeclampsia information mean there is
substantial room for improvement in these sources. Ensuring pregnant people receive
current guideline-based information is critical for improving outcomes and implementing
shared decision-making.
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Biography
Kimberley H. Geissler, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Health Policy and Management, Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research examines factors affecting access to and coordination of health care.
Biography
Valerie Evans, MS, MSc, is a Biostatistician/Data Base Manager in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests include global public health policy and practice.
Biography
Michael I. Cooper, BBA, is a medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine and a Departmental Assistant in the Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research interests include health care quality, delivery, and policy.
Biography
Susan J. Shaw, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Community Health Education, Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research examines ethnographic and qualitative research methods, health disparities, chronic disease, and health literacy.
Biography
Christina Yarrington, MD, FACOG, is Director, Labor and Delivery at Boston Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Boston University School of Medicine. Her research examines the link between pregnancy complications and whole women's health over the life course as well as disparities in perinatal health.
Biography
Laura B. Attanasio, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in Health Policy and Management, Department of Health Promotion and Policy, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research examines issues of quality, equity, and decision making in perinatal health care.
Article info
Publication history
Published online: October 31, 2022
Accepted:
September 21,
2022
Received in revised form:
August 30,
2022
Received:
November 9,
2021
Footnotes
Funding Statement: Supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health [grant number R56 HL151636-01]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Conflict of Interest: The authors report no conflict of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, George Washington University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
