The purpose of this study is to investigate whether overweight but not obese pregnant African women having unlimited access to a health education-information technology (IT) based intervention package gain weight within the acceptable range of 8-12 kg during the pregnancy period. Therefore, we hypothesize that unlimited access to health education via an IT-based intervention package has the potential to reduce the onset of obesity in African pregnant women. To date (Aug 2015), 95% of patients have been recruited, 1320 potential subjects have been screened and 150 enrolled into the study
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
1,200
The HEDUAfrica website aims to target disadvantaged pregnant women representing the core aspect of the intervention. The website is available on a touch screen panel at the two intervention clinics, (Cape Town and Soweto, South Africa). A trained healthcare worker will assist women by means of a touchscreen tablet at the follow up sessions. The website content includes a number of short videos and health messages related to a pregnancy-specific-disease outcomes. Participants are also asked to complete 2 questionnaires (24 hour dietary recall assessment and short messaging service technology driven) in conjunction to engaging with the HEDUAfrica website. The intervention is standardized across all participants in the intervention group.
Elias Motsoaledi clinic
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
RECRUITINGSenaoane Clinic
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
RECRUITINGTo determine a clinically significant difference (absolute difference of ≥10%) in the proportion of participants who gain > 12kg throughout study period will be less in the intervention group compared to the the non-intervention group.
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum
Change in plasma Vitamin C levels in both the mother and newborn
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum; newborn: day of delivery, 6 weeks old, 12 weeks old
Change in blood pressure profiles
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum; newborn: day of delivery, 6 weeks old, 12 weeks old
Improved resting heart rate
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum; newborn: day of delivery, 6 weeks old, 12 weeks old
Clinically normal C-reactive protein levels (<1 mg/dL)
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum; newborn: day of delivery, 6 weeks old, 12 weeks old
Apgar score >3
Time frame: Newborn: Day of delivery
To determine what women actually know (and how much they understand) about the risk factors during their pregnancy.
Mobile intervention with text messages provide essential health information and encouragement to patients which may act as an effective strategy in preventing weight gain which will be assessed with a pre and post intervention questionnaire to evaluate whether the texts were understood and deemed beneficial by the patients.
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum
Improved awareness of food choices
A 24 hour recall dietary assessment will be administered to evaluate changes in food choice behaviour.
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (16-20 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, 6 weeks postpartum
Cost saving potential of intervention from a societal perspective.
Time frame: September 2015
Change in body composition (fat percentage, body water percentage, bone mass, muscle mass, bone density and visceral fat) of mother.
Time frame: Mother: Baseline (12-16 weeks pregnancy), 24 weeks, 32 weeks, day of delivery, 6 weeks & 12 weeks postpartum
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