title: Text Messaging to Improve Preventive Health Attitudes and Behaviors During Pregnancy: A Prospective Cohort Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To delineate the effects of text messages sent to pregnant women to promote preventive health beliefs and behaviors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort analysis was performed among women who participated in a randomized, controlled trial aimed at improving preventive health. Participants (158 pregnant women enrolled from 2010-2012) received 12 weekly text messages encouraging preventive health behaviors (tobacco cessation, condom use for disease prevention, nutrition optimization, seat belt use, breastfeeding). Pre- and postintervention surveys assessed preventive health beliefs and practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At follow-up, participants agreed that receiving text messages changed their beliefs about targeted preventive health behaviors: smoking (50%), sexually transmitted disease prevention (72%), prenatal vitamins (83%), seat belt use (68%), nutritious foods (84%), and breastfeeding (68%). Many participants reported more frequent engagement in target behaviors at follow-up than at baseline: decreased tobacco use (among 41% of smokers), more consistent condom use (among 7% of sexually active participants), more prenatal vitamin intake (32%), more frequent seatbelt use (32%), more frequent healthy food intake (41%), and intention to breastfeed longer (21%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women receiving text messages promoting preventive health reported improvements in targeted beliefs and behaviors, suggesting that text messaging may be used for health promotion during pregnancy.
authors.forename: Michelle H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Moniz
authors.forename: Leslie A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Meyn
authors.forename: Richard H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Beigi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001942:Breast Feeding; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000628:therapy; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D060145:Text Messaging; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins