Game-based online antenatal breastfeeding education: A pilot

Area of Science:

• Maternal and Child Health
• Health Education
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• The internet offers potential to enhance breastfeeding rates by improving access to antenatal education.
• Online platforms can deliver vital breastfeeding information to expectant mothers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the "Healthy Moms" intervention's impact on antenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention.
• To determine the feasibility of using a game-based online learning platform for antenatal breastfeeding education.

Main Methods:

• Developed twelve computer-based breastfeeding education modules on an online platform.
• Measured changes in breastfeeding self-efficacy and intention using pre- and post-intervention assessments.
• Employed descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five women completed the pretest; module completion varied, with some participants completing none or only partial modules.
• No statistically significant differences in breastfeeding self-efficacy or intention were observed between participant groups based on module completion.
• Analysis indicated varied engagement levels with the online learning modules.

Conclusions:

• Online antenatal breastfeeding education, including game-based platforms, is feasible for delivery.
• Further research is necessary to establish whether online interventions can positively influence breastfeeding outcomes.
• The current study suggests feasibility but not efficacy in improving self-efficacy or intention.