Developing, implementing and evaluating an integral strategy that empowers low SES pregnant women to have a healthier dietary intake

Background A healthy diet is important for everyone, but crucial during pregnancy for the health of both mother and child. However, pregnant women, especially those with lower socioeconomic status (SES), often fail to meet the nutritional requirements. Healthy nutrition promotion by midwives is very promising, but midwives find it difficult to contribute to a healthier dietary intake for pregnant women.
Aim This research has three main aims. The first is to determine which set of actions, methods and tools are needed in an integral strategy, aimed at empowering low SES pregnant women to have a healthier dietary intake. The second aim is to assess the impact of the developed strategy on low SES pregnant women’s empowerment, dietary intake and pregnancy-related outcomes The third aim regards the evaluation of the strategy by midwives and dieticians in terms of impact, multidisciplinary collaboration, facilitators and barriers.
Method The first aim will be achieved by various literature studies, focus groups with midwives and dieticians, expert meetings, interviews with pregnant women, midwives and dieticians and pressure cooker sessions. To reach the second aim, a repeated, questionnaire will be distributed among participating pregnant women prior and after exposure to the strategy. Additionally, participants will be asked to participate in focus groups and interviews. To reach the third aim, involved midwives and dieticians will be asked to participate in a questionnaire, in focus groups and/or in an interview.
Expected results This research will implement, evaluate and optimize an integral strategy, developed with the different stakeholders, that empowers low SES pregnant women to have a healthier dietary intake. Insights will be gained into the impact of the proposed integral strategy on pregnant women, their experiences with the strategy and the evaluation of the strategy by midwives and dieticians in terms of benefits and barriers, impact, and multidisciplinary collaboration.