Midwives’ Experiences with and Perspectives on Online (Nutritional) Counselling and mHealth Applications for Pregnant Women; an Explorative Qualitative Study

Renate F. Wit, Desiree A. Lucassen, Yvette H. Beulen, Janine P. M. Faessen, Marina Bos- de Vos, Johanna M. van Dongen, Edith J. M. Feskens, Annemarie Wagemakers and Elske M. Brouwer-Brolsma
Additional contact information
Renate F. Wit: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Desiree A. Lucassen: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Yvette H. Beulen: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Janine P. M. Faessen: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Marina Bos- de Vos: Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Landbergstraat 15, 2628 CE Delft, The Netherlands
Johanna M. van Dongen: Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Edith J. M. Feskens: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Annemarie Wagemakers: Health and Society, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 8130, 6700 EW Wageningen, The Netherlands
Elske M. Brouwer-Brolsma: Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-12

Abstract: Prenatal nutrition is a key predictor of early-life development. However, despite mass campaigns to stimulate healthy nutrition during pregnancy, the diet of Dutch pregnant women is often suboptimal. Innovative technologies offer an opportunity to develop tailored tools, which resulted in the release of various apps on healthy nutrition during pregnancy. As midwives act as primary contact for Dutch pregnant women, the goal was to explore the experiences and perspectives of midwives on (1) nutritional counselling during pregnancy, and (2) nutritional mHealth apps to support midwifery care. Analyses of eleven in-depth interviews indicated that nutritional counselling involved the referral to websites, a brochure, and an app developed by the Dutch Nutrition Centre. Midwives were aware of the existence of other nutritional mHealth apps but felt uncertain about their trustworthiness. Nevertheless, midwives were open towards the implementation of new tools providing that these are trustworthy, accessible, user-friendly, personalised, scientifically sound, and contain easy-digestible information. Midwives stressed the need for guidelines for professionals on the implementation of new tools. Involving midwives early-on in the development of future nutritional mHealth apps may facilitate better alignment with the needs and preferences of end-users and professionals, and thus increase the likelihood of successful implementation in midwifery practice.

Keywords: healthcare professionals; mHealth gestation; maternal; health; nutrition; apps; midwives (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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