Online Patient Information on Labour Epidural Analgesia Provided by UK National Health Services Hospitals: Assessment of Readability and Improvement of Readability Standards Using ChatGPT

( Int J Obstet Anesth. 2025;62:104344 doi:10.1016/j.ijoa.2025.104344) Labor epidural analgesia is widely recognized as the most effective method of pain relief during childbirth, endorsed by the World Health Organization for its benefits to both mother and baby. Despite its availability, uptake varies significantly across countries and within the UK, where socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and health literacy play significant roles in women’s access to this option. Health literacy, defined as the ability to understand and use health information to make decisions, is critical to informed choices. The NHS advises that patient information should be written at the reading level of an 11-year-old (sixth grade). Yet, many resources are written at higher levels, which can limit comprehension and potentially influence decisions about labor pain relief.