Researching Your Pregnancy & Birth Online? Learn How to Find the Most Reliable Resources

As you probably already know, the internet is littered with information about pregnancy, birth, and parenting. But do you know how to evaluate the source of the information you're reading? Knowing who is behind the advice and statistics provided on any given website will allow you to judge their credibility. Before digging too far into a website, take a few minutes and learn about the source:

1. Who's behind the website? Typically, you can find this information in the "about" section. Is it a non-profit group or for-profit group? How are they funded? What's their mission? If you cannot find this information on the website or after doing a quick Google search, it may be a red flag. Your best bet is to keep searching for more trustworthy sources.

2. Who's the author? So you know who's behind the site, but what about the person who's written the blog post/article/review? What are their credentials? Who do they work for? In other words -- are they qualified to give evidence-based information and how big/slanted is their bias?

3. How up-to-date is the material? When was the piece written? Women's bodies have not changed, but a lot of what we know about pregnancy and birth has evolved. That being said, some of the most "old-fashioned" advice and information on how to have a healthy birth is still relevant today.

Published: January 30, 2014

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