Internet use in pregnancy.

Background: More and more women are turning to the internet in pregnancy. Yet the value of this ever increasing quest for information is an area that appears to be under researched. Objective: This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceived value of internet use in pregnancy, conducted from th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British Journal of Midwifery Vol. 22; no. 7; pp. 488 - 494
Main Authors: Weston, Claire, Anderson, John L.
Format: research Journal Article
Published: Mark Allen Holdings Limited Jul2014
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
Description
Summary:Background: More and more women are turning to the internet in pregnancy. Yet the value of this ever increasing quest for information is an area that appears to be under researched. Objective: This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceived value of internet use in pregnancy, conducted from the viewpoint of three distinct groups: midwives, pregnant women and postnatal women. Methods: Thirteen midwives, seven antenatal women and six postnatal women were recruited to three focus groups and seven in-depth interviews. Results: Appropriate internet usage during pregnancy was positively valued by all groups. However, midwives were more negative in their perceptions of inappropriate use. The data indicated that this could be influenced by their lack of awareness of current pregnancy website use. Conclusion: Greater collaboration between midwives and pregnant women is required to enable access to consistent, verified internet information which can be used appropriately and with confidence.