Abstract
This article examines prenatal health information-seeking behaviour among expectant parents, focusing on how they use search engines, health websites, and online communities to navigate pregnancy. The study terms this phenomenon “prenatal Googling” and analyses its implications for patient-provider relationships and health decision-making.
Key Findings
- Over 90% of expectant parents use search engines as their first source of prenatal health information
- Information-seeking peaks during the first trimester and around screening test periods
- Online health information both empowers and creates anxiety among expectant parents
- Trust in online health information varies significantly by source credibility markers
- Healthcare providers report mixed reactions to patients’ online research
Methodology
Mixed-methods study combining an online survey of 600 expectant and recent parents with in-depth interviews with 30 participants and 15 healthcare providers. Search log analysis provided additional data on actual information-seeking patterns.
Implications
The article recommends that healthcare providers engage constructively with patients’ online health information-seeking, providing guidance on source evaluation and integrating digital health literacy into prenatal care programmes.
