OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the readability of online patient education materials provided by eight nationally recognized obstetrics and gynecology societies is in accordance with the recommended 6th-grade reading level outlined by the American Medical Association, National Institute of Health, and United States Department of Health and Human Services. METHODS: An analysis of 410 online patient education materials from the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the American Urogynecologic Society, the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and Voices for Pelvic Floor Disorders was completed, and the readability scores using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning Fog Scale, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook readability scales were calculated. These scales are used to assess print and web-based written material across a wide range of medical specialties and are endorsed by the National Institutes of Health. All four scales are computer-based assessments of readability that consider word count, number of syllables, and length of sentences when calculating a score that corresponds to grade level. RESULTS: Majority of the patient education materials across all eight obstetrics and gynecology societies had readability scores above the recommended 6th-grade reading level. The average reading level for the 69 obstetrics-related articles ranged from 9th to 12th grade. The mean grade level for the 341 gynecology articles had a similar range across the four readability scales. CONCLUSION: Online patient education materials provided by major obstetrics and gynecology societies do not currently adhere to recommended readability guidelines. Continued efforts to provide accessible and informative patient education materials is recommended to help improve health literacy for women.

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INTRODUCTION: Poor health literacy, or the diminished ability to obtain, process, and understand medical information to make an appropriate health-related decision, may be a factor in rising medical expenses. With more emergency department visits and worse health outcomes, the estimated cost of avoidable medical expenses ranges from $106 to $238 billion annually. In an attempt to correct this, the American Medical Association, National Institute of Health, and United States Department of Health and Human Services recommend all patient education materials be written at or below a sixth-grade reading level. Access to appropriate online educational information may be a limiting factor in overcoming poor health literacy and its associated outcomes. METHODS: An analysis of the 410 online patient education materials from eight recognized obstetrics and gynecology societies was completed, and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), Gunning Fog Scale (GFS), and SMOG Grade (SMOG) readability scores were calculated to assess the readability of these resources. RESULTS: Across all eight obstetrics and gynecology societies, the readability scores exceeded the recommended sixth grade reading level. The average FKGL, FRE, GFS, SMOG for the 69 obstetrics-related articles were 8.9, 55.8, 12.1, 11.5, respectively. The mean FKGL, FRE, GFS, SMOG for the 341 gynecology articles were 8.7, 53.5, 11.9, 10.6, respectively. CONCLUSION: Online patient education materials provided by major obstetrics and gynecology societies do not currently adhere to recommended readability guidelines. Continued efforts to provide accessible and informative patient education materials is needed to help improve health literacy for women.