The effect of individual counseling intervention on health practices in pregnancy

Objective: The research was carried out to determine the effect of individual counseling intervention on health practices in pregnancy. Material and Method: This research is a single-blind randomized controlled experimental design using a pre-test and post-test design. Population of the research was consisted of 126 pregnant women in total, who applied to a pregnant polyclinic at a state hospital in the city center of Manisa, with 64 of them being in the training group and 64 being the control group. For data collection, a "Pregnant Identifying Information Form" and a "Health Practices in Pregnancy Questionnaire" were used. For data evaluation, percentage distributions, average, standard deviation, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, chi-square and Fisher's Exact Chi-Square test, independent samples t-test, the paired sample t-test with Bonferroni correction, the repeated measures analysis of variance, and Simple Linear regression analysis were used. Results: There was no significant difference in terms of descriptive variables for age, educational status, working status, social security, family type and place of residence in the training and control groups (p>0.05).In the research, it was found that the total score average of the Health Practices in Pregnancy Questionnaire before the individual counseling training for the pregnant women in the training and control groups was 111.76 ± 10.84 in the training group, and 110.17 ± 12.37 in the control group, and that there was no significant difference between two groups (p>0.05). It was also determined that the total score average of the Health Practices in Pregnancy Questionnaire after the individual counseling training during the second trimester was 142.12±8.63 in the training group and 124.48±11.53 in the control group, and that there was a statistically significant difference between two groups (p<0.05).It was determined that the total score average of the Health Practices in Pregnancy Questionnaire during the third trimester was 149.31±6.72 in the training group and 125.66±11.65 in the control group, and that there was a statistically significant difference between two groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: Individual counseling and training on pregnancy health practices such as drug use during pregnancy, immunization, resting, sleeping, hygiene, sexuality, nutrition, physical activity and weight gain have been effective in increasing the knowledge level of pregnant women.