Satisfaction of Healthy Pregnant Women Receiving Short Message Service via Mobile Phone for Prenatal Support: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Rossathum Jareethum MD*, Vitaya Titapant MD*, Chantra Tienthai BN**, Sommai Viboonchart BN*, Prakong Chuenwattana PhD*, Jirawan Chatchainoppakhun BN**
Affiliation : * Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok ** Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing Unit, Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok
Objective : The main objective was to compare the satisfaction levels of antenatal care between healthy
pregnant women who received short message service (SMS) via mobile phone for prenatal support, and those
who did not. The second objective was to compare the confidence, anxiety levels and also pregnancy outcomes.
Results : A randomized controlled trial.
Material and Method: 68 healthy pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic and delivered at Siriraj
Hospital, who met the inclusion criterias between May 2007 and October 2007, were enrolled and randomly
allocated into two random groups. The study group received two SMS messages per week from 28 weeks of
gestation until giving birth. The other group was pregnant women who did not receive SMS. Both groups had
the same antenatal and perinatal care. The satisfaction, confidence and anxiety scores were evaluated using
a questionnaire at the postpartum ward. The pregnancy outcomes were also compared in these two groups.
Results : The satisfaction levels of the women who received prenatal support in SMS messages, were signifi-
cantly higher than those of who did not receive the messages both in the antenatal period (9.25 vs. 8.00, p <
0.001) and during labor (9.09 vs. 7.90, p = 0.007). In the SMS using group, the confidence level was higher
(8.91 vs. 7.79, p = 0.001) and the anxiety level was lower (2.78 vs. 4.93, p = 0.002) than the control group in
the antenatal period, however no difference in pregnancy outcomes were found.
Conclusion : The present study shows the higher satisfaction level of pregnant women who received SMS via
mobile phone during their antenatal service when compared with the general antenatal care group. The study
also show the higher confidence level and lower anxiety level in the antenatal period but no difference in
pregnancy outcomes.
Keywords : SMS, Short message service, Antenatal care, prenatal support, Satisfaction
