To compare the effects of the Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB)-based oral health program (OHP) and walking exercise program (WEP) on oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators (depression, stress, and quality of life) in pregnant women.

A nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design was adopted to compare the effects of a 12-week OHP and WEP on pregnant women (n=65). Pregnant women were randomly assigned to the oral health group (OHG; n=23), walking exercise group (WEG; n=21), or control group (CG; n=21). Data were analyzed by the χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, Scheffe test, and repeated measures ANOVA, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for Windows (version 21.0).

The OHG and WEG showed significant improvements in oral health behaviors, periodontal disease, and psychological indicators as compared to the CG. The WEG showed significant improvement in physical activity as compared to the OHG and CG.

These findings indicate that the IMCHB-based OHP and WEP were effective in improving periodontal disease, physical activity, and psychological indicators. However, further studies are needed to identify the positive effects of the OHP and WEP on birth outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to identify the influences of oral health behaviors, depression, and stress on periodontal disease in pregnant women.

The participants in this study were 129 pregnant women. Data were collected using questionnaires which included individual characteristics, oral health care behaviors, the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D), a global measure of perceived stress, and pregnancy stress. A dentist measured periodontal probing depth and classified stages of periodontal disease according to the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression.

Periodontal disease had significant correlations with oral health care behaviors (r=-.56, p <.001), perceived stress (r=.44 p <.001), pregnancy stress (r=.37 p <.001), diet (r=-.33, p <.001) and depression (r=.18 p =.046). Factors influencing periodontal disease for these pregnant women were being in the 2nd (β=.27, p <.001) or 3rd trimester (β=.45, p <.001), having a pregnancy induced disease (β=.20, p =.002), performing higher oral health behaviors (β=-.30, p <.001), and having higher perceived stress (β=.17, p =.028). The explanation power of this regression model was 61.6% (F=15.52, p <.001).

The findings of this study indicated that periodic assessment of periodontal disease is essential for pregnant women who are in 2nd or 3rd trimester and have pregnancy induced diseases. Enhancing oral health care behaviors and reducing perceived stress are indicated as effective strategies to reduce periodontal disease in pregnant women.

This study was conducted to develop a mobile web-based pregnancy health care educational program for mothers who were at an advanced maternal age (AMA) and to verify the effects of the program on pregnancy health care.

This program was developed using a web-based teaching-learning system design model and composed of 10 subject areas. This research was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest time serial design and data were collected from April 2 to May 3, 2014. To verify the effects of the program, it was used for 2 weeks with 30 AMA mothers (experimental group). For the control group, a classroom education booklet for pregnant women used with 31 AMA mothers.

The experimental group having participated in program had statistically significantly higher scores for knowledge (t=3.76, p<.001), self-efficacy (t=8.54, p<.001), and practice behavior (t=4.88, p<.001) of pregnancy health care, compared to the control group.

The results of the program indicate that a Mobile web-based pregnancy health care educational program is effective in meeting the needs of AMA mothers and can be used as the prenatal educational program for AMA mothers and is appropriate as an educational media for theses mothers.

This study was done to examine the actual state of influenza vaccination among pregnant women and factors affecting vaccination rate.

Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Participants were pregnant women who participated in a prenatal education program at an acute care hospital in 2013. Data collected from 218 pregnant women were analyzed using the SPSS 18.0 Program.

Only 48.6% of the pregnant women had received vaccination when the influenza was prevalent. Statistically significant factors affecting the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women were vaccination experience in the previous year, knowledge and attitude about vaccination, and gestation period.

Results indicate that the influenza vaccination rate among pregnant women is lower than that of elders, healthcare workers, and patients with chronic diseases, who have been considered to be the mandatory vaccination recipients. Therefore, it is necessary to develop programs and policies which provide information including safety of vaccines for pregnant women and to induce positive attitudes towards vaccination for these women, in order to ultimately improve the vaccination rate.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a cultural competence improvement program for maternity nurses.

A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pre and posttest design was used. Participants were 67 maternity nurses caring for multicultural pregnant women in G city. The cultural competence improvement program was developed based on the 3-D Puzzle Model and was provided using case-based small group learning methods for the experimental group (n=31). The control group (n=36) did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using self-report structured questionnaires at two time points: prior to the intervention and after the intervention and were analyzed with descriptive statistics, χ²-test, and t-test.

Compared to the control group, the experimental group reported significant positive changes for cultural knowledge (t=6.39, p<.001), cultural awareness (t=3.50, p<.001), and cultural acceptance (t=4.08, p<.001). However, change in cultural nursing behaviors (t=0.92, p=.067) was not significantly different between the two groups.

Findings from this study indicate that a cultural competence improvement program with case-based small group learning is a useful intervention strategy to promote multicultural maternity care. Further, strategies to improve cultural nursing behavior should be developed to promote culturally congruent nursing care.

This study was done to evaluate the effects of antenatal depression on birth outcomes.

The participants were 255 pregnant women who were followed in a prospective study. Of these, 197 cases were examined included birth weight, Apgar scores at 5 minute, premature contraction, complication of labor, delivery types and laboratory data. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Chi square test of linear by linear association, Kruskal Wallis test, Relative Risk, univariate and adjusted multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis with SPSS/Win.

Level of antenatal depression was associated with low birth weight (χ²=7.69, p=.010). High risk pregnancy was a predictor of low birth weight (OR=6.98 [1.21-40.30]) and baby's weight (OR=2.12, [1.05-4.28]). Prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) was a predictor of complications in labor (OR=3.59, [1.03-12.48]). But there were no significant effects of antenatal depression on other birth outcomes.

The results of this study indicate that women with antenatal depression, high risk pregnancy, prepregnancy BMI≥23 kg/M² should be monitored and managed to ensure favorable birth outcomes.

Prenatal depression is associated with potential negative consequences for the mother and infant. The purpose of this study was to examine pregnant women's stress, and depression and their impact on maternal-fetal attachment and fetal growth.

Data were collected by means of a questionnaire and fetal sonogram from a convenience sample of 166 pregnant women.

Women who have a low educational level, poor health and are dissatisfied with their marriage showed low maternal-fetal attachment. Prenatal depression had significant correlations with length of pregnancy and level of stress. Even though correlation between maternal stress and fetal weight (r=-.15, p=.099) and correlation between maternal depression and maternal-fetal attachment (r=-.13, p=.095) were not statistically significant, the impact of the prenatal psychological state of mothers can not be ignored as it relates to fetal health.

Maternal-fetal attachment and fetal growth can be affected by maternal emotional state, including stress or depression. These findings suggest that primary care nurses in hospitals and public health centers should provide prenatal depression screening and nursing intervention programs for management and prevention of prenatal stress and depression.

This study was done to develop a pregnancy nutrition knowledge scale and to examine the relationships between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits in pregnant women.

With convenient sampling, 189 pregnant women who used community health centers for their ante-natal care were recruited. Data were collected using a self administered questionnaire including items on pregnancy nutrition knowledge (18 items) developed by researcher and items on eating habits (14 items). Cronbach's alpha and exploratory factor analysis were examined to test reliability and construct validity of the scale. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to identify the relationship between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits.

Cronbach's alpha of 18 items was .80. In factor analysis using principal components, 6 factors explained 65% of the total variance. The level of pregnancy nutrition knowledge was not sufficient but correlations between pregnancy nutrition knowledge and some of eating habits were significant. Specifically, pregnancy nutrition knowledge was positively correlated with good eating habits and negatively with bad eating habits.

The pregnancy nutrition knowledge scale developed in this study is acceptable for nutrition education led by nurses. Pregnancy nutrition knowledge and eating habits are considered as major variables for ante-natal nutrition education. In future studies, explorations are needed on dietary intake and physiological indices in pregnant women, comparison of women at risk with those not at risk, and development of nutritional education programs for pregnant women.