Addressing Preconception Behavior Change Through Mobile Phone Apps: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Public Health

Background:

• Positive health behavior changes before pregnancy are crucial for optimizing perinatal outcomes.
• Mobile phone applications offer a potential platform for delivering public health interventions during the preconception period.
• Women are often motivated to adopt healthier behaviors in preparation for pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the effectiveness of mobile phone apps in promoting positive behavior changes in women of reproductive age.
• To assess the impact of these interventions during preconception and interconception periods on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted using five databases, identifying studies on mobile phone apps as prepregnancy interventions.
• PRISMA guidelines were followed for study selection, with risk of bias and data extraction performed by independent reviewers.
• Data were pooled using a random-effects model, and evidence certainty was assessed using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

Main Results:

• Seven studies with 3161 participants were included, focusing on weight reduction, nutrition, blood pressure, and disease markers.
• No statistically significant differences were found in energy intake, weight loss, body fat, or biomarkers compared to standard care.
• Studies included women in both preconception (43%) and interconception (57%) periods.

Conclusions:

• The current evidence base is limited, with a small number of studies and low certainty.
• Firm conclusions regarding the effectiveness of mobile phone app interventions for preconception and interconception behavior change cannot be drawn.
• Further high-quality research is necessary to establish the role of these digital health tools.