The prenatal medical record: purpose, organization and the debate of print versus electronic.

The obstetric prenatal record is one of the best, most organized medical record systems currently used in the United States. This has allowed a standardization of care and documentation that has benefited pregnant women over the past two decades. The transition to an electronic record must maintain these advances and, hopefully, strengthen them with the use of electronic prompts, seamless transfer of information, and universal accessibility to the records, regardless of the location of care.