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Maternal Health Literacy · Journal article
Global Epidemiology · July 15, 2026
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This single-center cross-sectional study found that 54.9% of 235 pregnant women attending antenatal care in Ghana demonstrated high functional maternal health literacy, with educational attainment as the only independent demographic predictor after adjustment. The findings are descriptive and hypothesis-generating rather than practice-changing, and generalizability to other Ghanaian settings or populations is limited.
Hospital-based cross-sectional survey. Pregnant women attending antenatal care at a university hospital in Ghana. n = 235. University hospital in Ghana.
54.9% of pregnant women demonstrated high maternal health literacy Women with primary education were less likely to have high MHL [aOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01–0.11] Women with secondary education were less likely to have high MHL [aOR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.14–0.54] versus tertiary education
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Healthcare providers in Ghana should recognize that nearly half of pregnant women may have low functional health literacy, particularly those with primary or secondary education. Tailored communication and group antenatal care interventions addressing identified barriers may improve comprehension and informed decision-making, though effectiveness requires prospective evaluation.
Single-center cross-sectional study in Ghana describing maternal health literacy prevalence and associations; no comparator group and observational design limit causal inference and generalizability.
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Healthcare providers in Ghana should recognize that nearly half of pregnant women may have low functional health literacy, particularly those with primary or secondary education. Tailored communication and group antenatal care interventions addressing identified barriers may improve comprehension and informed decision-making, though effectiveness requires prospective evaluation.
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Introduction. Maternal health literacy (MHL) plays a critical role in ensuring positive maternal and neonatal health outcomes; however, limited evidence exists on the functional aspect of MHL among pregnant women in Ghana. This study assessed the level of functional MHL, associated demographic factors, and perceived barriers among pregnant women attending antenatal care (ANC) at a university hospital in Ghana.Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 235 pregnant women attending ANC from November 2024 to February 2025. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted from validated health literacy tools and analyzed using Stata/SE version 17.0. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. Associations were assessed using chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, while logistic regression was used to identify associated factors.Results. The median age of participants was 29 years (IQR: 24-33), and 55.3% had tertiary education. Overall, 54.9% of the women demonstrated high MHL. Educational level, age, employment status, and parity were associated with MHL at the bivariate level; however, only education remained independently associated with MHL in the adjusted model. Women with primary [aOR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01-0.11] and secondary education [aOR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.14-0.54] were less likely to have high MHL compared to those with tertiary education. The most reported barriers were poor communication from healthcare providers (47.2%) and lack of resources (34%).Conclusion. Nearly half of pregnant women demonstrated low functional MHL, with educational attainment identified as a factor associated with MHL. Strengthening health-literacy-responsive communication and integrating group antenatal care may enhance comprehension and informed decision-making.
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