Pregnant Adolescent Females' Knowledge and Practice towards Iron Deficiency Anemia: Impact of Dietary Intervention-Based Short Message Service

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide and affects approximately 41.8% of pregnant women globally. Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of dietary intervention-based short message service on pregnant adolescent females' knowledge and practice towards iron deficiency anemia. Design: A quasi-experimental research design was used to achieve the aim of this study. Settings: This study was conducted at the Maternal and Child Health Care Center in Shebin El-Kom (Quibly and Bahari) and obstetric clinics in the university hospital. Sample: A purposive sample of 100 pregnant adolescent females. Tools: Two tools were used for data collection: a structured interview questionnaire, and the Reported Practices Checklist. Results: Results showed a highly statistically significant improvement concerning pregnant women's knowledge and practices regarding iron deficiency anemia after dietary intervention-based short message service compared to the pre-intervention phase (P≤ 0.001). Conclusion: The dietary intervention-based short message service significantly improved knowledge and practices in pregnant adolescent females, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing iron deficiency anemia. Recommendations: Implement dietary intervention-based short message service programs in healthcare settings to improve pregnant adolescent females' knowledge and practices related to iron deficiency anemia.