How evidence-based is the information on the internet about nausea and vomiting of pregnancy?

BACKGROUND

The Internet has become an important source of information about pregnancy and about health related concerns in general. This study assessed the quality of information available on the Internet for the common problem of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP).

METHODS

We used three search terms, "nausea and vomiting in pregnancy," "morning sickness," and "hyperemesis gravidarum," to identify the most popular sites as rated by Google. With modifications of previously described tools, the quality of the websites was rated in three categories: accountability using the Silberg criteria, presentation using a modified Abbott's score, and readability using the Flesch-Kincaid grade level score. Subsequently the information on the websites was compared with the SOGC guideline on management of NVP.

RESULTS

We identified 24 unique websites as most popular. The overall scores for accountability indicated poor quality, with only 25% of the websites meeting the required criteria and less than one half of the sites indicating authorship and credentials. Esthetic appeal criteria were met in over 75% of the websites. The readability score of the websites was significantly above the score recommended for the general population, with an average Flesch-Kincaid Grade level score of 10.7 (max = 12). Eighty-seven percent of the websites contained accurate, evidence-based recommendations according to the information provided in the SOGC clinical practice guideline on management of NVP.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the majority of information available online is accurate; however, the web pages demonstrated poor accountability and targeted an audience with a higher reading ability than the general population. Consideration of these findings would help create easy to navigate, credible web pages containing information to help women make informed decisions during pregnancy.