A Cross-Sectional Study of Maternal Health Literacy Among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women: Key Socio-demographic Determinants

Maternal health literacy is essential for positive maternal and neonatal outcomes, as it reflects the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information. Limited research exists on the levels of this literacy and its key predictors. Identifying these determinants is vital for developing targeted interventions to improve maternal health literacy and enhance health outcomes. This study aimed to assess maternal health literacy levels and examine its predictors among third-trimester pregnant women at a tertiary hospital in central Thailand. A total of 349 participants were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a Self-Reported Maternal Health Literacy Questionnaire and Socio-demographic Determinants Factors. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that 47.85% of participants had sufficient maternal health literacy, 34.10% had limited maternal health literacy, and 9.45% and 8.60% demonstrated excellent and inadequate maternal health literacy, respectively. Healthcare professionals were the primary information source, with parents and husbands also providing health advice. Positive predictors of maternal health literacy included having a bachelor’s degree, being married, being employed, and being older, while negative predictors were being single and later gestational age at the first prenatal visit. Income, gravidity, group health education, underlying diseases, and pregnancy complications were insignificant predictors. These factors accounted for only 15.9% of maternal health literacy variance. These findings highlight that one-third of pregnant women in the sample still have limited maternal health literacy. They also indicate the potential benefit of targeted health education programs, particularly for younger women, those with lower education, and single mothers. However, the fact that these factors only account for a small portion of the variance in maternal health literacy suggests other significant predictors that we have yet to identify. This underscores the need for more research to fully understand the factors influencing maternal health literacy and develop effective interventions. Future research should explore more factors influencing maternal health literacy, such as socioeconomic status, social support, cultural beliefs, residence area, and mode of birth. Moreover, nurses and midwives should explore the content and quality of group health education to enhance maternal health literacy levels.