Internet use in pregnancy virtual social support determination of impact

Objective of the research; the aim of this study was to determine the internet and social media usage status, reasons and information sources of pregnant women receiving services from Ayvalık State Hospital. Also in the scope of this study; it was aimed to examine the factors associated with virtual social support in pregnant women. The cross-sectional study was conducted at Ayvalık State Hospital between March and December 2022. The research is cross-sectional type and it was conducted at Ayvalık State Hospital between March and December 2022. The sample included 587 pregnant women. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Descriptive Data Form and Virtual Social Support Scale (VSSS). Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t test in independent groups, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. In the study, significance level p<0.05 was accepted. When the purpose of using social media and the internet was analyzed, 92,7% of the pregnant women stated that they used it to get information, 53,8% to seek solutions to health problems, and 33,7% to share their experiences/learn about experiences. Approximately half of pregnant women (48,2%) spend at least two hours or more on social media daily. The most used social media platforms and applications are ''WhatsApp'' with 75,5%, ''Instagram'' with 56,1%, and ''Facebook'' with 27,1%. The topics most researched by pregnant women on the internet and social media; 78,5% of the participants reported feeling and following the baby's movements, 78,2% reported danger signs during pregnancy and 73,3% reported pregnancy complaints. In univariate analyses of the study, the mean scores of the sub-dimensions and total scores of virtual social support were found to be significantly higher in pregnant women who had their own and their spouse's educational status, university and graduate degree, were hospitalized during pregnancy, were employed, were nulligravid and nullipar, checked the accuracy of information on the internet and social media, and spent more than two hours on social media (p<0.05). In the multivariate analysis of the study, in the hierarchical regression model analysis of the sociodemographic and obstetric variables of the pregnant women and the VSSS scores; the variables that were significant in predicting the VSSS according to the model created; time spent on the internet and social media (β:=-0.200; p<0.001), checking the accuracy of the information on the internet and social media (β= -0.129; p=0.002), having hospitalization during pregnancy (β= 0.147; p<0.001), were statistically significant. In conclusion, the mean scores of virtual social support of pregnant women who received information about internet use and pregnancy, birth and postpartum issues were found to be statistically significant. In addition, a relationship was found between sociodemographic and obstetric factors that were thought to affect the virtual social support score.