Content area
Full Text
Abstract:
This article discusses how health information technology is utilized in maternity care settings, and the impact technology has on childbirth education and labor and delivery. Information is provided on electronic technology such as mobile devices and electronic health records may help expectant women to be more empowered in making informed decisions throughout pregnancy.
Keywords: technology, mobile devices, electronic health records, personal health records, childbirth education, prenatal care
In the 21st century, technology will continue to advance rapidly and become the norm in healthcare rather than the exception. Mobile devices such as iPads and smartphones help us to be connected to friends and families. Gadgets such as Fitbit and BodyBugs encourage us to get moving and be healthier, and social media, like Twitter and Facebook, allows us to talk about it. Even hospitals have become high tech, using robotics and telemedicine to diagnose, treat, and care for patients. Nursing and Medical Informatics is taking its place in history, pushing technology further into healthcare. However, what about something as timeless as pregnancy and giving birth? How does technology fit in with pregnancy and childbirth and, as childbirth educators, how can we educate expectant parents when everything they need to know appears at their fingertips or the push of a button? The following discussion will look at technology and its impact and ability to enhance childbirth education, perinatal, and intrapartum care.
Prenatal Childbirth Education: Its Impact on the Prenatal and Intrapartum Experience
Many women will turn to friends, family, or colleagues for advice on which doctor to choose, what to expect over the next few months, and recommendations for babysitters, nannies, or daycare. Childbirth educators, as well as any healthcare professional caring for this unique patient population, need to intervene early to ensure that accurate, evidence-based information is being delivered throughout the pregnancy.
Childbirth education classes, whether delivered in person or via technology, have a significant impact on pregnancy and birth. The primary purpose of childbirth education is to educate expectant parents about birth and early parenting. Labor and birth are normal and natural human experiences, but maternity care delivered throughout the world today is increasing in intervention. This phenomenon is reflected by the increasing number of elective labor inductions and high rates of cesarean section...