Abstract
BackgroundHospital-based health promotion resources to assist pregnant women in adopting a healthy lifestyle and optimizing gestational weight gain are important, but with limited effects. Increasingly, women are using mobile apps to access health information during the antenatal period.ObjectiveThe aims of the study were to investigate app-usage by Chinese women during pregnancy and to gain a better understanding of their views and attitudes toward apps containing health information.MethodsA mixed methods study design was applied. Study participants were recruited from 2 maternity hospitals in Shanghai, China, between March and July 2018. A self-administered Web-based survey was conducted with 535 pregnant Chinese women on their sources of health information and reasons for using apps during pregnancy. A total of 4 semistructured focus groups were also conducted with the pregnant women (n=28).ResultsThe use of pregnancy-related apps and the internet was common among the respondents. Almost half of the women had used pregnancy-related apps. Specifically, the use of apps for health information declined as pregnancy progressed from 70% (35/50) in the first trimester to 41.3% (143/346) in the third trimester. The main reason for using an app was to monitor fetal development (436/535, 81.5%), followed by learning about nutrition and recording diet in pregnancy (140/535, 26.2%). The women found that the apps were useful and convenient and can support lifestyle modifications during pregnancy. However, some apps also contained misinformation or incorrect information that could cause anxiety as reported by the participants. Many women expressed the need for developing an app containing evidence-based, well-informed, and tailored health information to support them during pregnancy.ConclusionsThe study suggests that apps were widely used by many Chinese women during pregnancy to monitor fetal development, to obtain diet and physical activity information, and to track their body changes. The women highly appreciated the evidence-based information, expert opinions, and tailored advice available on apps. Smartphone apps have the potential to deliver health information for pregnant women.
Highlights
BackgroundThe Developmental Origins of Health and Disease concept describes how, during early life, the environment induces changes in development that have a long-term impact on later health and disease risk [1]
Women are especially receptive to advice about a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, in which optimizing their lifestyle for the health benefits of their offspring is a powerful motivator
The percentage of women smoking before pregnancy was 3.7% (20/535), but all quit during pregnancy
Summary
The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease concept describes how, during early life (at conception and/or during fetal life, infancy, and early childhood), the environment induces changes in development that have a long-term impact on later health and disease risk [1] Maternal lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, and their health status (eg, obesity and gestational diabetes mellitus) can affect the potential risk of metabolic diseases, obesity, and diabetes of the generation [2,3]. Hospital-based health promotion resources to assist pregnant women in adopting a healthy lifestyle and optimizing gestational weight gain are important, but with limited effects. Conclusions: The study suggests that apps were widely used by many Chinese women during pregnancy to monitor fetal development, to obtain diet and physical activity information, and to track their body changes. Smartphone apps have the potential to deliver health information for pregnant women
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