Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
Published on: February 5, 2019
Feasibility and Acceptability of an Online WhatsApp Support Group on Breastfeeding: Protocol for a Randomized
Kris Yw Lok1, Rachel Wt Ko1, Heidi Sl Fan1
1School of Nursing, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Background:
Mobile health, the use of mobile technology in delivering health care, has been found to be effective in changing health behaviors, including improving breastfeeding practices in postpartum women. With the widespread use of smartphones and instant messaging apps in Hong Kong, instant messaging groups could be a useful channel for delivering breastfeeding peer support.
Objective:
The aim of this paper is to study the feasibility and acceptability of an online instant messaging peer support group by trained peer counselors on improving breastfeeding outcome in primiparous women in Hong Kong.
Methods:
A two-arm, assessor-blind, randomized controlled feasibility study will be conducted on 40 primiparous women with the intention to breastfeed. Participants are recruited from the antenatal obstetrics and gynecology clinic of a public hospital in Hong Kong and randomly assigned at a 1:1 ratio to either intervention or control group. The intervention group receives peer support in an online instant messaging group with trained peer counselors on top of standard care, whereas the control group receives standard care. Breastfeeding outcome will be assessed for 6 months post partum or until weaned. The breastfeeding status, the proportion and duration of exclusive and any breastfeeding in each group, and the self-efficacy and attitude of participants will be assessed. The feasibility and acceptability of the study would also be assessed in preparation for a full randomized controlled trial.
Results:
This study (protocol version 1 dated January 5, 2021) has been reviewed and approved by the institutional review board of the University of Hong Kong, Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster (reference UW 21-039), on January 26, 2021. Data collection is ongoing and expected to be completed in December 2021. The findings will be updated on clinical trial registry and disseminated in peer-reviewed journals.
Conclusions:
This study aims to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an online instant messaging peer support group in improving the breastfeeding outcome of primiparous women in Hong Kong. Its findings could inform the feasibility of a full-scale trial with this intervention design.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04826796; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04826796.
International Registered Report Identifier (Irrid):
DERR1-10.2196/32338.
More Related Videos
05:04A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
14:43A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
