BACKGROUND: Excessive gestational weight gain (eGWG) and high body mass index during pregnancy can adversely affect maternal and child health in both the short and long term. Lifestyle interventions, including improved nutrition and increased physical activity, play a critical role in reducing eGWG and improving health outcomes. However, common barriers such as lack of awareness and misinformation, hinder the achievement of a healthy pregnancy. This study investigates the impact of counseling through a motivational interviewing (MI) approach on promoting healthful lifestyles to prevent eGWG in pregnant women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial will involve pregnant women under 14 weeks of gestation, referred to Rouhani and Yahyanezhad hospitals. The eligible women will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group ( n = 94 intervention) or a routine care group ( n = 94 control). Health-promoting behaviors and general health questionnaires will be collected pre-intervention, at the end of the intervention (8 weeks), and 6 weeks postpartum. The intervention group will receive lifestyle counseling through semivirtual sessions over six weeks, combining in-person and online meetings. The control group will receive standard care based on integrated prenatal guidelines. Maternal and neonatal outcomes (delivery type, birth weight, gestational age at birth, and NICU admissions) will be recorded. Descriptive statistics, including the mean (standard deviation), will be calculated for continuous variables. The Chi-square, independent t -test, and Fisher’s exact test, mixed-effects linear regression, adjusted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals will be used for data analysis. EXPECTED RESULTS: We expect that counseling with a motivational interviewing approach will have a positive effect on improving a health-promoting lifestyle and preventing excessive weight gain in pregnant women. DISCUSSION: The findings are expected to demonstrate the effectiveness of MI in fostering health-promoting lifestyles, potentially reducing eGWG and improving pregnancy outcomes. This study may offer a valuable intervention for enhancing maternal health.
Mohammadi et al. (Fri,) studied this question.