The National Screening Unit (NSU) has implemented a light weight programme of media activities to encourage women to access maternity care early in their pregnancy. The programme is being lead by the Antenatal & Newborn Screening Programmes* within the National Screening Unit. The primary target audience is pregnant Maori and Pacific women as it is known these groups tend to access maternity services, including screening, later than other women. Early presentation is important if women are to receive the most benefit from screening and other antenatal support. The message is of early access to information so informed decisions can be made and the material emphasises it is the individual’s choice whether to participate in screening or not. The programme will run from March 14 to June 27, 2010 and will use the following media:

• Radio: Nui FM, Mai FM, Flava and the Maori Media Network. This will provide nation-wide coverage. Radio activity will run one week per month for four months.
• Women’s Magazines: Full page placements will be made in NZ Women’s Weekly and Women’s Day magazines as these are identified as having the largest readership in the target groups. 
• Bounty ‘Your Pregnancy’ Pack: The antenatal and newborn screening time-line (A2 poster resource) will be included in the Bounty, ‘Your Pregnancy’ Pack. The pack is received by 97% of expectant parents. Approximately 5,000 packs per month will have the timeline inserted.
• Search Engine Marketing: via ‘Google’ as the most commonly used search platform in New Zealand. Approximately 200-500 click throughs to the NSU website are anticipated.

Communication to key stakeholders providing the rationale for the activities and a request for their support has been sent.

* Antenatal HIV Screening Programme, the Quality Improvements for Antenatal Screening for Down Syndrome and other conditions, Newborn Metabolic Screening Programme, Universal Newborn Hearing Screening Programme.

Radio Creative - Antenatal & Newborn Screening