Changes in Childbirth Education: An Educator's Perspective

Cambridge, MA (March 6, 2009) - As a leader in the professional and patient education fields, Vida has witnessed the dramatic changes in information and information delivery. To continue to effectively offer authoritative, well researched and engaging educational media, Vida strives to explore and fully comprehend the ever-changing public health education climate.

In an effort to garner additional insight into the childbirth education field Vida reached out to Carol Tobias, Coordinator of Heath Education and Promotion at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.

Carol Tobias has been involved in childbirth education for 22 years. As Coordinator of Heath Education and Promotion at Harvard Vanguard Carol oversees the childbirth education program, in addition to other educational programs.

Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates offers a broad range of childbirth education classes, ranging from the 4 week "Prepared Childbirth Class" to the increasingly popular 1 day "Prepared Childbirth Class."

Childbirth classes are incredibly valuable. Carol believes that these classes help parents-to-be "make informed choices, proactively deal with fears and anxieties, and socialize with other expectant parents, forming a support system." Also, as Carol notes, hospitals benefit when "patients come with more confidence based on knowledge."

However, due to our increasingly demanding lives, time has also become incredibly valuable. Carol states, "It is amazing to see the shift and change in the demands of expectant parents. Gradually over the years, weekend classes were added and 8 week classes went to 6 weeks. Now 1 day childbirth classes are in high demand."

Due to time constraints, more expectant parents are seeking out information from un-vetted sources. Carol asserts, "Childbirth educators report that expectant parents come to class referring to knowledge that comes from the Internet and television shows. Sometimes the information is correct, but often the information they are getting comes from an unknown source, causing more confusion and anxiety."

In an attempt to satisfy the ever-changing demands of those seeking childbirth education Harvard Vanguard wants to offer an online childbirth class. It is Harvard Vanguard's hope to "capture the audience of the expectant parents' that are 'too busy' to come to classes, who would like to augment information received in a 1 day class, who are on bed rest, or who just want information with a click at their fingertips."

Harvard Vanguard is currently working with Vida to create a professional, reliable, and quality childbirth class that can be accessed online. As Carol notes, Harvard Vanguard is seeking to create an online program that embodies "the professional quality that Vida Health is known for."

As an organization that provides premier health education, Harvard Vanguard has assessed the demands of their consumer population and is adapting to satisfy those demands.

About Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates is a non-profit, multi-specialty medical group providing care to more than 450,000 adult and pediatric patients at more than 20 offices across eastern Massachusetts.

With a focus on prevention, Harvard Vanguard’s outstanding medical teams work together in internal medicine, pediatrics and more than 35 specialties to coordinate our patients’ care. Harvard Vanguard accepts most major health plans including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Fallon Community Health Plan, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Neighborhood Health Plan, and Tufts Health Plan.

For more information, please visit: www.harvardvanguard.org