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other·obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, public health, clinical trial, nutrition·PMC10119439

Development and feasibility of a web-based gestational weight gain intervention for women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity

mHealth · 7 authors, 6 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATIONPregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity

INTERVENTIONA 12-week web-based gestational weight gain intervention including online discussion boards, weight tracking, and resources

COMPARISONNone (one-arm pilot study)

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

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TL;DR

This study developed and tested the feasibility of a web-based intervention to help pregnant women with overweight or obesity manage weight gain. The pilot found high retention and acceptability but significant usability issues with the study website, suggesting a need for further development before efficacy testing.

Full summary

1,007 CHARS

A one-arm feasibility pilot study developed and assessed a web-based gestational weight gain intervention for 12 pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity. The 12-week intervention included an online discussion board with coaches, weight tracking via an interactive graph, and access to online resources. Primary feasibility outcomes showed high retention (92%, n=11) and strong acceptability, with 100% of participants likely to participate again or recommend the program. Engagement was sustained but moderate, with a median of 24.5 forum posts per participant over 12 weeks. Usability was a major concern: while 64% (n=7) said the website was easy to use, 100% (n=11) reported usability issues. Limitations include the small sample size, one-arm design lacking a control group, and higher education levels compared to national averages. The study concludes that additional development is needed, particularly to address usability, and suggests considering commercial social media platforms.

PICO

PPOPULATION

Pregnant women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity

IINTERVENTION

A 12-week web-based gestational weight gain intervention including online discussion boards, weight tracking, and resources

OOUTCOME

Feasibility outcomes (recruitment, retention, engagement, acceptability, usability) and exploratory gestational weight gain

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

obstetrics and gynecology

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10119439

Development and feasibility of a web-based gestational weight gain intervention for women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity

mHealth

READ THE FULL PAPER

ABSTRACT

Abstract Background Excessive gestational weight gain is associated with negative maternal and infant health outcomes. Digital health approaches may help overcome barriers to participating in lifestyle interventions requiring in-person visits. The purpose of this study was to develop and examine the feasibility of a web-based gestational weight gain intervention. Methods Intervention development included feedback and input from pregnant women. We conducted a 12-week one-arm pilot study during which participants engaged in an online discussion board with coaches and other pregnant women, tracked their weight gain with an interactive graph, and accessed a list of online resources for pregnancy health. Feasibility outcomes were recruitment, retention, engagement and sustained participation, intervention acceptability, and website usability. Gestational weight gain was an exploratory outcome. Results Participants (n=12) were on average 16.8 [standard deviation (SD): 2.0] weeks gestation with average pre-pregnancy body mass index of 30.5 (SD: 4.8) kg/m 2 . Participant retention was 92% (n=11). Participants logged into the website a median of 21 times [interquartile range (IQR), 8–37; range, 2–98] over 12 weeks, and 58% (n=7) logged into the website during the last week of the intervention. All participants said they would be very likely or likely to participate again, and 100% said they would be very likely or likely to recommend the intervention to a pregnant friend. In post-intervention interviews, 64% (n=7) explicitly said that the website was easy to use, but 100% (n=11) mentioned usability issues. When asked their preferred intervention platform, 18% (n=2) somewhat or strongly preferred a private website, 18% (n=2) had no preference, and 64% (n=7) somewhat or strongly preferred Facebook. Seventy percent (n=7) had excessive gestational weight gain, 10% (n=1) inadequate gestational weight gain, and 20% (n=2) gained within recommended ranges. Conclusions Additional development work is needed before moving to efficacy testing. Most notably, usability issues with the investigator-developed website and participant preference suggest a switch to a commercial social media platform. Keywords: Pregnancy, gestational weight gain (GWG), website, lifestyle intervention, pilot study

CITATION EXPORT

Molly E Waring, Tiffany A Moore Simas, Grace E Heersping et al.. Development and feasibility of a web-based gestational weight gain intervention for women with pre-pregnancy overweight or obesity. mHealth. (2023). https://doi.org/10.21037/mhealth-22-49

AUTHORS

7 · 6 CENTRES

Molly E Waring, Tiffany A Moore Simas, Grace E Heersping, Lauren R Rudin, Kavitha Balakrishnan, Abigail R Burdick, Sherry L Pagoto

1Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA;
2UConn Center for mHealth & Social Media, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA;
3Department of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA;
4Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA, USA;
5Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA, USA;
6Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health Care, Worcester, MA, USA