RecruitingNot ApplicableNCT05793944

SmartMom: Teaching by Texting to Promote Health Behaviours in Pregnancy

Teaching by Texting to Promote Health Behaviours in Pregnancy

Sponsor

University of British Columbia

Enrollment

3,078 participants

Start Date

Nov 10, 2023

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Pregnancy

Summary

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of SmartMom, a text messaging-based mobile health program for prenatal education. The main questions are to determine if healthy pregnant people receiving SmartMom messages that promote health behaviours in pregnancy versus messages that don't provoke behaviour change have improvement in: 1. knowledge about healthy pregnancy and birth 2. standardized measures of depression, anxiety, and fear of childbirth 3. adoption of positive health behaviours in pregnancy 4. maternal, fetal, and newborn outcomes Participants in the intervention group will receive three evidence-based text messages per week, plus optional supplemental messages on topics relevant to them, throughout pregnancy. The control group will receive general interest messages on pregnancy-related topics that are not promoting behaviour change.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin Age: 15 Years

Inclusion Criteria5

pregnant person
at 15 weeks gestation or earlier
singleton pregnancy
can read and understand English at grade 8 level and comfortable completing online surveys
live in Canada (excluding British Columbia where SmartMom has been piloted)

Exclusion Criteria2

health conditions existing prior to pregnancy that require individualized care (e.g. hypertension, cardiac disease, diabetes)
previously had a baby with the SmartMom program

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Interventions

BEHAVIORALSmartMom text messaging

SmartMom is a mobile health program delivered via text messaging that guides participants through each week of pregnancy. Participants receive three messages per week with links to content focused on improving knowledge, providing information about prenatal assessments and screening, and encouraging the adoption of behaviours to support healthy pregnancy and physiologic birth. Messages are consistent with current professional guidelines and peer reviewed prenatal education curricula. SmartMom provides optional supplemental streams for individuals who wish to have additional messages addressing topics such as reducing use of tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs, depression, obesity, and maternal age over 35.

BEHAVIORALControl text messaging

Control arm participants will receive weekly text messages with accurate, general-interest information about pregnancy and about progress of the trial. Content is not geared to decision-making during pregnancy that may affect health outcomes.