ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2026
Empowering expecting mothers: a qualitative exploration of perceived needs and preferences of pregnant women towards educational resources of perinatal mhealth apps.
Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe rapid adoption of mobile health (mHealth) technologies presents an opportunity to enhance prenatal care through tailored educational interventions. However, the success of such applications relies on their alignment with user needs, preferences, and sociocultural contexts. This study aimed to explore the perceived needs and preferences of Iranian pregnant women towards educational resources of perinatal mhealth apps.
methodsA qualitative content analysis was conducted involving 14 pregnant women, who recruited via purposive sampling from hospitals affiliated with Mashhad University of Medical Sciences and private clinics in Mashhad, Northeast Iran from May to December 2023. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis approach introduced by Elo and Kyngäs (2008). Trustworthiness was ensured through triangulation, member checking, and peer debriefing.
resultsThe overarching theme of "Empowering expectant mothers in maternal journey" emerged from a comprehensive analysis revealing three interconnected categories of pregnant women's perceived needs and preferences towards educational resources of perinatal mhealth apps including (1) 'Need for Holistic Maternal Well-Being' which highlights critical needs for mastering stress and strengthening emotional adaptability, Building Daily Routines for Self-Care and Resilience, nutritional wisdom for holistic health as well as harmonizing work-life dynamics (2) 'Necessity of Proactive Birth Readiness' that emphasizes the importance of tailored understanding of delivery options, empowered pain management strategies, navigating high-risk pregnancy situations, designing a personalized birth journey and navigating maternity care systems and hospital choices, and (3) 'Demand for Connected Relationships and Support' which shows a profound need for enriching maternal-fetal connection, shared parenting journeys and partner collaboration, navigating intimacy and sexual health, building community and peer networks and spiritual growth and reflective practices.
conclusionThe study reveals that effective mHealth applications must transcend traditional informational approaches, offering holistic, culturally sensitive, and empowerment-oriented educational support. By addressing the multidimensional needs of pregnant women, these technologies can significantly enhance maternal healthcare experiences, promote informed decision-making, and support comprehensive well-being.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.