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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Glob. Womens Health
Sec. Maternal Health
Volume 5 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1471957

Effectiveness of educational intervention in improving physical activity and nutritional performance among pregnant women: A pre-post quasi-experimental study using Health Belief Model

Provisionally accepted
Ali Khani Jeihooni Ali Khani Jeihooni 1Fatemeh Razmjouie Fatemeh Razmjouie 2Hanieh Jormand Hanieh Jormand 1Fariba Sedghi Jahromi Fariba Sedghi Jahromi 1Pooyan Afzali Harsini Pooyan Afzali Harsini 3Farzaneh Ghalehgolab Farzaneh Ghalehgolab 1*
  • 1 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
  • 2 Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Hamadan, Iran
  • 3 Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Kerman, Iran

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: Physical activity and proper nutrition during pregnancy are crucial for maternal and fetal health. However, many pregnant women fail to meet recommended guidelines. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) in improving these behaviors. Methods: A pre-post with control quasi-experimental study was conducted among 200 pregnant women (100 experimental and 100 control) in Shiraz, Iran. The intervention group attended eight weekly 50-minute educational sessions based on the HBM. Physical activity and nutritional performance were assessed using validated questionnaires at baseline and three months post-intervention. Data were analyzed using paired and independent t-tests, with effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals reported.The intervention significantly improved physical activity (mean score: 29.25 ± 4.42 vs. 12.28 ± 4.36, p < 0.001) and nutritional performance across all food groups (p < 0.001) in the experimental group compared to the control group. Key constructs of the HBM, including perceived sensitivity, severity, benefits, self-efficacy, and cues to action, showed significant increases with notable effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals, while perceived barriers significantly decreased (p < 0.001).The educational intervention based on the HBM effectively improved physical activity and nutritional performance among pregnant women. Integrating such programs into routine prenatal care is recommended, with emphasis on personalized counseling, regular follow-ups, and spousal involvement to sustain behavioral changes and promote maternal and fetal health.

    Keywords: physical activity, Pregnant Women, nutrition, Education, health belief model (HBM)

    Received: 05 Aug 2024; Accepted: 27 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Khani Jeihooni, Razmjouie, Jormand, Sedghi Jahromi, Afzali Harsini and Ghalehgolab. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Farzaneh Ghalehgolab, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.