The Effects of Group Discussion and Multimedia Package Education Interventions on Healthy Lifestyle of Pregnant Women: A Field Trial Study

Background: Healthy lifestyle affects the health of the mother and fetus during pregnancy. This study aimed to compare the effects of group discussion and multimedia package education interventions on healthy lifestyles among pregnant women. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 151 pregnant women during their 16-28 weeks of pregnancy who were referred to comprehensive health centers in Bajestan City, Iran. They were randomly allocated to three groups: Group discussion (n=50), multimedia package education (n=52), and control group (n=49). The demographic questionnaire and Walker’s health-promoting lifestyle profile II were used for data collection before and one month after the intervention. The educational intervention in the group discussion was held in 4 sessions. The multimedia package group received software consisting of text, video, animation, and audio materials. Finally, the control group received routine educational support in health centers. The study data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The result showed no significant difference between the three groups before intervention (P=0.073) regarding their mean lifestyle scores. However, the mean lifestyle score was significantly lower in the control group compared to the other two groups one month after the intervention (P 0.001). However, the mean lifestyle score was significantly higher in group discussion and multimedia groups (P 0.001). Conclusion: The findings showed that multimedia package and group discussion methods improved lifestyle in pregnant women. Therefore, we suggest that health providers use these methods for pregnant women regarding their rationales and facilitations.