Stimulating Preconception Care Uptake by Women With a Vulnerable Health Status Through a Mobile Health App (Pregnant Faster): Pilot Feasibility Study

Abstract

Background: A low socioeconomic status is associated with a vulnerable health status (VHS) through the accumulation of health-related risk factors, such as poor lifestyle behaviors (eg, inadequate nutrition, chronic stress, and impaired health literacy). For pregnant women, a VHS translates into a high incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore pregnancy-related inequity. We hypothesize that stimulating adequate pregnancy preparation, targeting lifestyle behaviors and preconception care (PCC) uptake, can reduce these inequities and improve the pregnancy outcomes of women with a VHS. A nudge is a behavioral intervention aimed at making healthy choices easier and more attractive and may therefore be a feasible way to stimulate engagement in pregnancy preparation and PCC uptake, especially in women with a VHS. To support adequate pregnancy preparation, we designed a mobile health (mHealth) app, Pregnant Faster, that fits the preferences of women with a VHS and uses nudging to encourage PCC consultation visits and engagement in education on healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Objective: This study aimed to test the feasibility of Pregnant Faster by determining usability and user satisfaction, the number of visited PCC consultations, and the course of practical study conduction.

Methods: Women aged 18-45 years, with low-to-intermediate educational attainment, who were trying to become pregnant within 12 months were included in this open cohort. Recruitment took place through social media, health care professionals, and distribution of flyers and posters from September 2021 until June 2022. Participants used Pregnant Faster daily for 4 weeks, earning coins by reading blogs on pregnancy preparation, filling out a daily questionnaire on healthy lifestyle choices, and registering for a PCC consultation with a midwife. Earned coins could be spent on rewards, such as fruit, mascara, and baby products. Evaluation took place through the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ), an additional interview or questionnaire, and assessment of overall study conduction.

Results: Due to limited inclusions, the inclusion criterion "living in a deprived neighborhood" was dropped. This resulted in the inclusion of 47 women, of whom 39 (83%) completed the intervention. In total, 16 (41%) of 39 participants visited a PCC consultation, with their main motivation being obtaining personalized information. The majority of participants agreed with 16 (88.9%) of 18 statements of the MAUQ, indicating high user satisfaction. The mean rating was 7.7 (SD 1.0) out of 10. Points of improvement included recruitment of the target group, simplification of the log-in system, and automation of manual tasks.

Conclusions: Nudging women through Pregnant Faster to stimulate pregnancy preparation and PCC uptake has proven feasible, but the inclusion criteria must be revised. A substantial number of PCC consultations were conducted, and this study will therefore be continued with an open cohort of 400 women, aiming to establish the (cost-)effectiveness of an updated version, named Pregnant Faster 2.

International registered report identifier (irrid): RR2-10.2196/45293.

Keywords: app; application; chronic stress; health inequality; health literacy; lifestyle; mHealth; mHealth app; mHealth application; mobile health; nudge; nutrition; pilot feasibility study; preconception care; pregnancy; pregnancy preparation; pregnant; pregnant women; risk factor; socioeconomic; socioeconomic status; stress; usability; user; user satisfaction; users; women.