<![CDATA[Preparation for childbirth and newborn care require adequate maternal understanding to support maternal and neonatal safety. This study aimed to determine the increase in pregnant women’s understanding of childbirth preparation and newborn care after receiving health education. This study employed a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The study was conducted from May 19–26, 2026, in the service area of the Kartasura Community Health Center, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java. A total of 73 pregnant women were selected using accidental sampling. Data were collected using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire developed based on literature reviews and maternal and child health guidelines and analysed using univariate analysis and the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. The average understanding score increased from 130.03 before health education to 138.37 after health education, representing an increase of 8.34 points. The proportion of respondents with good understanding increased from 69 respondents (94.5%) before health education to 73 respondents (100%) after health education. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test showed a significant difference in understanding scores before and after health education (Z = −5.026, p = 0.001). Health education on childbirth preparation and newborn care can improve pregnant women’s understanding. Health education can be integrated into antenatal care services to strengthen maternal understanding of childbirth preparation and newborn care.]]>
