BACKGROUND: Pregnancy-related health education conveys basic information regardinghealthy lifestyle choices and preventive healthcare in order to promote the health of the mother and foetus. Verbal education is supplemented frequently by means of health- promotion leaflets. A pregnancy-related leaflet used in primary care clinics in Tshwane, South Africa titled: 'Are you pregnant or planning to have a baby?' was the focus of this research.
OBJECTIVES: The study had two objectives, the first of which was to explore whether the English pregnancy leaflet improved the knowledge of young female adults with regard to maintaining their health and preventing complications during pregnancy. The second objective was to explore whether the literacy level of the young adult female had an effect on the efficacy of the English pregnancy leaflet.
METHOD: The research design used was a pre-test post-test design. Two samples of 30 participants each, namely, a post-secondary and a tertiary sample, participated in the study. Self-report data were gathered with a questionnaire based on the leaflet. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a Pearson's chi-square test.
FINDINGS: The findings indicated both samples' prior knowledge regarding health maintenance, showing that prevention of complications during pregnancy was almost nonexistent and that the pregnancy leaflet did not improve their knowledge to an extent where I they would be informed and knowledgeable about their health during pregnancy.
CONCLUSION: An evidence base must be developed in order to support the development of behaviour changing material.