HealthyPregnancy: development and feasibility of a digital care guide to promote recommended gestational weight gain in pregnant women living with overweight in Denmark

Objectives Excessive gestational weight gain increases the risk of complications in pregnancy, childbirth and later in life among pregnant women living with overweight and their offspring. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and examine the feasibility of a digital intervention supporting recommended gestational weight gain and the recommended level of physical activity, targeting pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or above.

Design Intervention development was guided by the Medical Research Council guideline on the development and evaluation of complex interventions, and subsequent feasibility testing was conducted in a non-randomised design. Setting The obstetric department at Copenhagen University Hospital—North Zealand, Denmark.

Participants 98 pregnant women living with overweight participated in feasibility testing. Interventions The intervention developed in this study was a mobile phone application with a digital care guide containing text and video information supporting recommended gestational weight gain and physical activity levels.

The video material featured multiple healthcare professionals and a pregnant woman from the target group. Main outcome measures The main feasibility measures were participant recruitment and engagement with the digital care guide throughout pregnancy.