This group will be provided with the mobile health app (including introductory videos on how to use its features).

This group will receive an educational brochure about physical activity during pregnancy.

Pregnancy

Postpartum

Access to the mobile health application with exercise plans and education

mHealth Intervention Group

An evidence-based educational brochure with general information about the benefits of physical activity during pregnancy

Educational Brochure

Pilot Testing a Mobile App to Designed to Increase Physical Activity Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Pilot Testing of a Mobile Health Intervention Designed to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Morbidity and Mortality-related Outcomes Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women in a Rural Setting

how many participants eligible and successfully recruited per month

% of women who complete the study protocol

Assess the potential efficacy of the intervention by examining physical activity levels through objective actigraph data

Assess the potential efficacy of the intervention by examining physical activity levels through Exercise Vital Sign Survey

Assessed by nurse practitioner using standardized clinical equipment

Assessing fasting insulin and glucose levels to determine HOMA-IR

Assessed with a rapid, non-invasive technique that records endothelium-mediated changes in the peripheral arterial tone signal via a pair of finger probes

Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Survey

Assessed via air displacement plethysmography

Collected at delivery by trained nursing staff

Rachel Tinius

Assistant Professor

Western Kentucky University

University of Kentucky

Pregnant women will be recruited ~20 weeks pregnant and after baseline assessments, randomized into the control or intervention group. The intervention group will utilize the mhealth intervention, while the control group will receive basic educational materials only.

The participant (as well as the study team and the health care provider) will know after randomization whether or not they are being provided access to the mobile app.

Half of the women who agree to participate in the evaluation will be randomized to the Birth Sisters Best beginnings for Babies Program, which includes community doula support and consultation with Medical Legal Partnership when indicated.

Half of the women who agree to participate in the evaluation will be randomized to the usual maternity care group

Labor Pain

Birth Sisters Best Beginnings for Babies support during Pregnancy, Labor and Delivery and six weeks postpartum. Participants assigned to the Birth Sister group receive community doula services with consultation from the Medical Legal Partnership when indicated beginning at 24 weeks. Participants receive up to 8 two-hour prenatal home visits; continuous support through labor and birth, and up to 4 two-hour postpartum home visits through 6-8 weeks postpartum.

Birth Sisters Best Beginnings for Babies

Usual prenatal, intrapartum and postpartum maternity care

Usual maternity care

Boston Medical Center

Best Beginnings for Babies Birth Sister Program Evaluation

Birth Sisters Best Beginnings Evaluation

total cesareans/total births as assessed by medical record abstraction

total preterm births/total births as assessed by medical record abstraction

total births<2500g/total births as assessed by medical record abstraction

Number of mothers initiating breastfeeding/total # mothers by medical record abstraction

Number of mothers with depression scale scores>9/total # mothers

medical center costs reported through hospital accounting system

percent of participants breastfeeding at 8 weeks postpartum by interview

percent of participants exclusively breastfeeding at 8 weeks pp by interview

Julie Mottl-Santiago

Midwife and Assistant Professor

Psycho-education based on principles of motivational interviewing and positive reinforcement

Obese Pregnant Women

4 prenatal sessions based on principles of motivational interviewing and positive reinforcement

obstetric labor complications/obesitat

Pilot Testing a Mobile App to Designed to Increase Physical Activity Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Best Beginnings for Babies Birth Sister Program Evaluation

Effect of Psycho-education on Gestational Weight Gain and Anxiety/Depression in Obese Pregnant Women

La base de dades d’herbes medicinals més completa avalada per la ciència