JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Positive health behaviour changes before pregnancy can optimise perinatal outcomes for mothers, babies and future generations. Women are often motivated to positively change their behaviour in preparation for pregnancy to enhance health and well-being. Mobile phone applications may provide an opportunity to deliver public health interventions in the preconception period.

Objective:

To synthesize evidence of the effectiveness of mobile phone applications in promoting positive behaviour changes for women of reproductive age before they are pregnant (preconception and inter-conception periods) that may improve future outcomes for mothers and babies.

Methods:

Five databases were searched in February 2022 for studies exploring mobile phone applications as a pre-pregnancy intervention to promote positive behaviour change. Studies identified were retrieved and exported to EndNote; using Covidence, a PRISMA study flow diagram was generated to map the number of records identified, included, and excluded. Two independent reviewers conducted the risk of bias and data extraction using RevMan 5.4, and data were then pooled using a random-effects model, and the GRADE system was used to assess the certainty of the evidence.

Results:

Of 2,973 publications identified, seven studies were included. Four studies included inter-conception participants, and three had women in the preconception period. Five studies focused on behaviours for weight reduction, assessing outcomes of reduction in adiposity and weight. Nutrition and dietary outcomes were evaluated in two studies, blood pressure outcomes were compared in four studies, and a range of biochemistry and marker outcomes associated with managing disease symptoms were included. Meta-analysis showed that mobile phone applications were favourable in energy intake, weight loss, waist to hip ratio, and body fat when compared to standard care; however, in outcomes for blood pressure, HbA1c and fasting lipid profiles, there was no significant mean difference. No results reached statistical significance.

Conclusions:

There is potential for mobile phone applications to influence behaviour in the preconception period. Most information is on weight reduction and dietary changes in the general population. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO 2017: CRD42017065903.