The Effect of a Mobile-based Safe Motherhood Education Program on Postpartum Care Knowledge of Marginalized Women

Introduction: Marginalization and lack of proper access to healthcare services are among the most important factors affecting maternal and neonatal health. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a mobile-based safe motherhood learning program on the postpartum care of marginalized women in Iran. Materials and Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study conducted on 244 postpartum women referring to comprehensive health centers in the outskirts of Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran, in 2021-2022. Participants were included using a Convenience sampling method, and randomly assigned to two groups of intervention (n=122) and control (n=122). The intervention group received routine care plus the educational application. Data were collected using a socio-demographic checklist, a postpartum care knowledge scale, a postpartum care performance scale, and a socioeconomic status questionnaire in three stages, before the intervention (postpartum days 3-5), second week of postpartum (postpartum days 14-15), and sixth week of postpartum (postpartum days 42-45). Independent t-test and the repeated measures ANOVA were used for data analysis. Results: The mean age of women was 27.3±6.8 years in the intervention group and 28.5±5.6 years in the control group. The results showed a significant increase in the mean scores of infants’ nutritional status, mothers’ self-care behavior, mothers’ infant care behavior, and their total postpartum care knowledge over time in the intervention group (P=0.001), but the differences were not statistically significant in the control group for any variables. The scores of these variables in two post-intervention stages (days 14-15 and days 42-45 postpartum)differed significantly between the two groups (P=0.001). The effect size was 34.2% for infants’ nutritional status, 65.8% for mothers’ self-care behaviors, 50.5% for mothers’ infant care behaviors, and 71.1% for the total postpartum care knowledge. Conclusion: The mobile-based safe motherhood learning program can improve Iranian marginalized women’s postpartum care knowledge. Considering the importance of the health of mothers and babies, this mobile-based learning program is recommended to empower marginalized postpartum women in Iran.