The Effect of Training Intervention Based on Health Belief Model on Physical Activity of Pregnant Women at Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Triple-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial Publisher



Ghorbani R ; Mosleh B ; Shafieian M ; Heydari S ; Taheri S
Source: International Journal of Women's Health and Reproduction Sciences Published:2025

Abstract

Objectives: This study was aimed to determining the effect of training intervention based on health belief model (HBM) on physical activity (PA) of pregnant women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Materials and Methods: A total of 104 pregnant women at risk for gestational diabetes mellitus were enrolled in this triple-blind randomized controlled trial. The intervention protocol consisted of six 60-minute educational sessions focused on physical activity, which were theoretically grounded in the HBM. Participants in the control condition received only routine pregnancy care education. Data was conducted using SPSS version 21. Results: The results showed that the levels of Perceived Susceptibility (28.63±3.79, P < 0.001), Perceived Threat Severity (28.48±1.79, p=0.015), Perceived Benefits (18.96±1.94, P = 0.022), and Self-Efficacy (17.85±3.40, P < 0.001) in the intervention group significantly increased after the education compared to before the education. In the intervention group, the amount of daily physical activity (18.07±3.66, P = 0.011) and weekly physical activity (74.26±26.99, P < 0.001) was significantly higher than before the intervention. Conclusions: Sustaining and improving maternal health outcomes, particularly for pregnant individuals at elevated risk for gestational diabetes, mandates the adoption of structured educational models by policymakers and service providers, particularly practicing midwives. In this context, the implementation of the HBM is strongly recommended. © 2025 The Author(s);.