Motivational interview technique intervention to harmful substances during pregnancy

Purpose: It was aimed to examine the effect of motivational interviewing on reducing the use of household chemicals and personal care products during pregnancy. Materials-Methods: The research was conducted in a prospective pre-test, post-test based randomized controlled experimental research design. The sample of the study started with 140 pregnant women who applied to the Ministry of Health Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate and Şile State Hospital Gynecology and Obstetrics Polyclinics between May and December 2023, volunteered to participate in the study and met the inclusion criteria. Women were randomized into experimental and control groups, and training based on motivational interviewing techniques was provided to women in the experimental group to reduce household chemical and personal care product use. The posttest was administered one month after the pretest. The final test application was completed with 130 women. Personal Information Form, Household Chemical and Personal Care Products Use Evaluation Form, Self-Efficacy Competency Scale and Endocrine Disruptors Attitude Scale were administered to all participants twice as pre-test and post-test. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under the number NCT06380634. Results: It was determined that the decrease in the use of personal care products was categorically most in make-up products, and the decrease in the use of household chemical products was most in plastic bottles. The mean pre-test total score of Self-Efficacy Competency Scale was 74.62±7.24 in the experimental group and 76.84±8.47 in the control group, while the mean post-test scores were 85.05±4.82 in the experimental group and 82.37±4.93 in the control group. It was determined that the difference in the mean scores of the Self-Efficacy Competency Scale scores between the groups over time was statistically significant (F = 12.500, p = 0.01; pη2 = 0.089). The mean Endocrine Disruptors Attitude Scale pre-test score of the participants in the experimental group was 68.12±7.69 and 66.61±6.52 in the control group; the mean Endocrine Disruptors Attitude Scale post-test score of the participants in the experimental group was 72.97±5.45 and 68.31±5.81 in the control group. It was determined that the difference in the mean Endocrine Disruptors Attitude Scale scores between the groups according to time was statistically significant (F=13.069, p=0.00; pη2=0.093). Conclusion: In this study, it was determined that motivational interviewing applied to pregnant women increased self-efficacy and was moderately effective in reducing the use of household chemicals and personal care products.