Effectiveness of mobile applications in pregnant women’s adherence to prenatal consultations: randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile application for cell phones in the adherence of pregnant women to prenatal consultations. Method: a randomized controlled clinical trial, simple-blind with two parallel groups, conducted from January to December 2018. Data collection was carried out through a structured interview at the end of the third trimester of pregnancy. For analysis, Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney tests were used. The sample consisted of 88 pregnant women from 2 Family Health Strategies in Northeast Brazil. Participants were randomized into two groups: intervention (IG), who used the application, and control (CG), who attended prenatal consultations. Results: pregnant women who used the application (IG) attended a greater number of consultations when compared to participants in the CG, identifying a statistical difference between the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: the application showed to be an effective health technology to improve adherence to prenatal care. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-74SNST.