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June 2004 Self-tutoring for Mothers-to-be
At Hospital de la Mujer in Mexico City, Population Council researchers introduced and tested an interactive CD-ROM as a way of providing mothers-to-be with information about pregnancy, delivery, and care of their babies. A prototype kiosk was designed to make using the CD-ROM engaging and easy. Users can elect to listen to rather than read the information. The system employs a touch screen to ensure accessibility for those unfamiliar with using a computer mouse, and a printer enables women to take summaries home. An extra-wide bench allows husbands or other family members to participate, and movable side panels and headphones provide privacy in a crowded waiting room.
Illustrated slides run the gamut from photographs to cartoon drawings. Each section ends with a simple computer “game” reviewing the information covered. A glossary is available to explain the terminology of pregnancy and birth. Council researcher Jennifer Catino explains, “The aim is to help women better understand what their health-care providers say when they meet with them.” The study, involving 831 women, was conducted from November 2002 through September 2003. The two test kiosks were donated to Hospital de la Mujer. After the material is copyrighted, the software will be made available at no cost to public hospitals and clinics. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded this study—“Mujeres más y mejor informadas: Explorando nuevas estrategias para mejorar la calidad de la atención prenatal en la Ciudad de México” [“More- and better informed women: Exploring new strategies to improve the quality of prenatal care in Mexico City”], which was conducted by Ana Langer, regional director; Jennifer Catino, regional program coordinator for Gender, Family, and Development; and Tess Aldrich, research associate, all of the Council’s office for Latin America and the Caribbean, in Mexico City. See Also
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More than 200 screens of information are available, with topics ranging from how to talk effectively with a doctor to the signs of postpartum depression. After hearing the introduction, the user chooses a topic from four areas: Pregnancy, Birth, You and Your Baby, or Your Health. The researchers know from previous studies that the interests of pregnant women can often be summed up as “what’s next?” The CD-ROM allows each woman to find answers to the questions of greatest concern to her, whether they involve changes occurring in the first trimester of pregnancy, breastfeeding, or postpartum family planning. 