Effectiveness of a Pregnancy Care App on Maternal Knowledge and Anxiety in Pregnant Women

Lincoln University College Malaysia

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pregnancy

Treatments: Behavioral: PcyCare (Pregnancy Care) App

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07229989

LUC_02_Jannah (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

1. Objective:

   To evaluate the effectiveness of the Pregnancy Care mobile application in improving maternal knowledge and reducing anxiety in preparation for childbirth, through an educational and holistic therapy-based approach.

2. Key Questions:

   1. Can the Pregnancy Care app improve pregnant women's knowledge about pregnancy and childbirth preparation?
   2. Is the app effective in reducing anxiety levels among pregnant women before delivery?
   3. What are the changes in knowledge and anxiety levels before and after the intervention in the group using the app compared to the control group?

3. Procedure:

This study uses a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test approach involving two groups:

1. Intervention group: Participants will use the Pregnancy Care app for one week. The app includes educational content on physical and emotional changes during pregnancy, nutritional and activity needs, and childbirth preparation. It also features holistic therapy components such as antenatal yoga, acupressure, guided relaxation, meditation, self-hypnosis, mindfulness, deep breathing, journaling, and hope-based affirmations.
2. Control group: Participants will receive standard education without using the app.

Measurements will be taken before and after the intervention using validated questionnaires to assess knowledge and anxiety levels. The data will be analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the app in enhancing maternal readiness for childbirth

Full description

Background:

Anxiety before childbirth is a common issue among pregnant women and can negatively affect the delivery process and maternal-infant health. Adequate knowledge and psychological support are essential to help mothers feel more prepared and confident.

Study Purpose:

To develop and evaluate the Pregnancy Care mobile application as a digital intervention aimed at improving maternal knowledge and reducing anxiety through educational content and holistic therapy.

App Content: The Pregnancy Care app integrates:

Educational modules covering:

Physical and emotional changes during pregnancy Nutritional and activity needs Stages of labor and delivery Pain management and breathing techniques Postpartum care and breastfeeding

Holistic therapy features:

Body: Antenatal yoga, acupressure, massage points Mind: Guided relaxation, meditation, self-hypnosis, mindfulness, deep breathing Soul: hope affirmations, spiritual and motivational content

Study Design:

A quasi-experimental design with two groups:

Intervention group: Uses the pcycare for 21 day Control group: Receives standard education without the pcycare

Measurement and Analysis:

Pre-test and post-test assessments are conducted using validated questionnaires to measure maternal knowledge and anxiety levels. Data are analyzed to determine the effectiveness of the app in improving childbirth preparedness.

Enrollment: 120 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 20 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Pregnant women aged 20-40 years
2. Gestational age between 28 and 35 weeks
3. Able to read and understand the language used in the PcyCare platform
4. Owns a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access
5. Provides informed consent to participate

Exclusion criteria

1. High-risk pregnancy requiring intensive medical care
2. Severe psychiatric or cognitive disorders that would prevent platform use
3. Participation in another conflicting educational or intervention study

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention Group

Experimental group

Description:

Arm Type: Experimental Arm Name: Intervention Group Description: Participants in this group will use the pcycare digital for 21 day The app includes educational content and holistic therapy.

Treatment:

Behavioral: PcyCare (Pregnancy Care) App

control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Arm Type: Active Comparator Arm Name: Control Group Description: Participants in this group will receive standard maternal education without using the mobile application.