The role of online peer support in pregnancy: A scoping review
This scoping review identified key structural factors shaping the design and functioning of online peer support groups for pregnant people. Group size, active moderation, and privacy settings influenced participation and engagement. Further research is recommended to explore how these structural elements impact long-term engagement and overall effectiveness for pregnant people. This project is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number NIHR205347). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Authors
- Lisa Akester
- Jayne Samples
- María Duaso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4801-2954)
- Kate Heighway
- Tomasina Stacey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2002-6200)
- Jenny Roddy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4044-3658)
- Marilyn Ijeomah-Orji
- Honor Morris
- Nigel Simpson
Institutions
- University of Leeds (GB)
- University of Huddersfield (GB)
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (GB)
- King's College - North Carolina (US)
- King's College London (GB)
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (GB)
- Kirklees College (GB)
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (GB)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PLoS ONE
- Published
- 2026-01-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0339876
- Primary Topic
- Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00