Health literacy in pregnant women facing prenatal screening: a short report from “SaperePer” project

Abstract Advancements in health promotion and prenatal medicine have made noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) a common practice during pregnancy, but understanding prenatal health information becomes crucial not only for the well-being of the mother but also for that of the unborn child. Analyze health-related information during pregnancy is fundamental, and this work fits perfectly with this topic, reporting preliminary results from the pilot study “SaperePer”. A health-related questionnaire was administered to 358 women in the first trimester of pregnancy, aiming to study different outcomes: 1.level of knowledge of NIPT; 2.number of screening tests undergone; 3.willingness to undergo a diagnostic test with a high outcome risk of screening test; 4.willingness to end the pregnancy following a diagnosis of pathology. The questionnaire was divided into 3 sections: personal characteristics and lifestyle habits, prenatal health behavior scale (PHBS), and knowledge of NIPT. Preliminary results showed that the level of knowledge of NIPT was higher in older, atheist, working, wealthy highly educated, and preliminary informed women, as well as the higher number of screening tests undergone and the propensity to undergo an invasive diagnostic test after a high-risk screening result (KS and MW tests p < 0.05). On the contrary, women with lower education, faithful and, even more, not preliminary and appropriately informed during prenatal counseling showed lower knowledge of NIPT, lower number of tests undergone, and meager chances to undergo an invasive diagnostic test or to end the pregnancy after a positive diagnosis of pathology (KS and MW tests p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study evaluated health-related information during the first but crucial stages of pregnancy, opening a new understanding of how health literacy and correct prenatal counseling could increase awareness and health promotion in pregnant women, particularly in those women with lower cultural tools. Key messages • Health literacy and correct prenatal counseling could increase awareness and health promotion in pregnant women. • Understanding prenatal health information becomes crucial both for maternal and prenatal well-being.