Evidence-based Websites to Increase Physical Activity for Pregnant Women

NCT02365428 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 1307009388
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 82
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Fewer pregnant women achieve recommendations for physical activity (PA) (30 minutes of moderate PA 5 days of the week) as compared to non-pregnant women (15.8% to 26.1% respectively), and PA participation declines as pregnancy progresses. The benefits of PA during pregnancy are abundant to both the mother (e.g., reduced weight gain, lower risk of gestational diabetes) and the fetus (e.g., decreased fat mass, improved stress tolerance). Pregnancy represents a significant time in a woman's life in which she may be motivated to change her health behaviors due to concerns for the healthy development of the fetus and a quick return to pre-pregnancy weight. Hence, pregnancy represents a critical time to support women in PA participation. In our previous research, 94% of pregnant and postpartum women of varying socioeconomic statuses reported using the Internet for pregnancy and PA information. Despite some women increasing their PA participation as a result, most did not know if a website was reputable or reliable (i.e. evidence-based). Studies have reported that most online health information is unregulated and inaccurate. Further, women often receive inadequate PA information from physicians who are constrained by time and lack of knowledge about PA. Therefore, directing pregnant women to evidence-based websites via text messaging may provide a feasible approach to improve PA participation. PA participation in pregnant women is an ongoing challenge that warrants testing of innovative solutions. The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using mobile phone text messaging to refer pregnant women to evidence-based websites for PA information to increase PA levels.

Conditions

Pregnancy

Keywords

Maternal welfare

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Number of Minutes Spent Doing Physical Activity Measured via a Physical Activity Monitor (FitBit)

  20 to 24 weeks

Study Arms (4)

Control: Group 1

EXPERIMENTAL

The control group will receive three standard Text4Baby messages per week at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Behavioral: Physical activity text messages

Group 2

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention group 1 will receive two physical activity messages and one standard Text4Baby message each week at noon on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

Behavioral: Physical activity text messages

Group 3

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention group 2 will receive six physical activity messages and one standard Text4Baby message per week at a random time per day.

Behavioral: Physical activity text messages

Group 4

EXPERIMENTAL

Intervention group 3 will receive six physical activity messages and one standard Text4Baby message per week at a time of the participant's choice per day.

Behavioral: Physical activity text messages

Interventions

Physical activity text messages BEHAVIORAL

Control: Group 1; Group 2; Group 3; Group 4

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• physician, nurse/staff, or pregnant patient at one of the participating physician sites
• able to speak English
• willingness to participate in one 1-hour interview
• years of age or older.
• pregnant or has been pregnant
• able to speak English
• willingness to participate in the 5 minute survey
• years of age or older.
• weeks gestation
• years of age or older
• own a smartphone with text message capability
• regular access to a computer
• ability to speak/read/understand English
• resident of the United States
• willingness to provide the research team with cell phone number to receive text messages

You may not qualify if:

• pregnant women who are high risk as defined by the absolute and relative contraindications of exercise outlined in The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Position Statement on Exercise During the Pregnancy and Postpartum Period
• women who have physical limitations to physical activity
• women whose doctors instruct them NOT to be physically active during pregnancy and
• women who are currently meeting the physical activity recommendations of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days of the week

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Arizona State University: lead

Study Officials

• Jennifer Huberty, Ph.D.

  Arizona State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 30, 2014
• First Posted: February 19, 2015
• Study Start: July 1, 2014
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2015
• Study Completion: April 1, 2015
• Last Updated: February 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2015-02