Perinatal education to improve birth outcomes.

Rising infant mortality rates have focused increased attention on the need for comprehensive perinatal education. But because there is a great deal of information to be taught, topics probably will be omitted or presented at a time when the childbearing family is least receptive to them. Timely and comprehensive perinatal education that is structured according to the trimester of pregnancy helps prevent these problems and contributes to decreasing the adverse birth outcomes that lead to infant deaths.