Critical dimensions in perinatal education.

A commitment to family-centered care demands that perinatal education include the following critical dimensions: presenting information, enhancing coping strategies, fostering support systems, promoting informed decision making, and integrating consumer advocacy. Families must have accurate, current information about pregnancy, birth, infants, early parenting, and the health care system in which these vents occur. This information is the foundation, not the final product, of perinatal education. Families need appropriate and effective coping skills and a strong support network as they move through this stage of the life cycle. The ultimate goal, and perhaps the most critical dimension of perinatal education, is to promote informed decision making. Families need options and the opportunity to understand the implications and feasibility of alternative decisions in their lives. The perinatal educator acts as an advocate by providing information and support for the client, and in advocating for the client in the health care system.