Table 2.
Summary of the study designs for internet-based interventions in pregnant women (N=26).
| Study, year; country | Study design (analysis sets) | Participants (intervention n/control n) | Experimental intervention | Intervention method and group type (Ia or Gb) | Intervention timing and duration | Comparative intervention |
| Alemi et al [30], 1996; United States | 2-armed RCTc (PPd) | Pregnant drug-using participants from the previous study (28/25) | Talknet: a voice bulletin board for electronic self-help and group support | Communication via electronic bulletin boards: touch tone telephone (G) | Third trimester, intrapartum and 4 months | None |
| Chen et al [36], 2020; China | 2-armed RCT (PP) | Pregnant women (83/85) | Health education on enhancing the compliance | Instant messenger by mobile phone | First, second, and third trimester and NRe (≥3 web-based courses) | Usual antenatal health education |
| Felder et al [31], 2020; United States | 2-armed RCT (ITTf) | <28 weeks’ gestation with insomnia (105/103) | Sleepio (Big Health), digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia | Website or mobile app (I) | First, second, and early third trimester (≤GAg 32 wks) and 6 wks | Usual treatment |
| Forsell et al [53], 2017; Sweden | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 10-28 weeks’ gestation with depression (22/20) | ICBTh for antenatal depression | Website (I) | Late first, second, and third trimester and 10 wks | None |
| Goudarzi et al [48], 2021; Iran | 2-armed quasi-experimental trial (PP) | <24 weeks’ gestation (12/13) | Web-based unified transdiagnostic treatment on mental health problems | Instant messenger by mobile phone (G) | First, second, and early third trimester and 8 wks | NR |
| Guo et al [37], 2021; China | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 24-28 weeks’ gestation; first-diagnosed GDMi (70/70) | Online-offline integrated medical care management | Offline and instant messenger by mobile phone (I) | Late second and third trimester and approximately 24-28 wks | None |
| Haga et al [51], 2019; Norway | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | 21-25 weeks’ gestation (678/664) | Mamma Mia: a universal preventive intervention for perinatal depressive symptoms | Website (I) | Second and third trimester as well as post partum and 11.5 mo | Usual perinatal care |
| Heller et al [50], 2020; The Netherlands | 2-armed RCT (ITT and PP) | <30 weeks’ gestation (79/80) | MamaKits Online (internet-based problem-solving treatment) of depression and anxiety in pregnancy | Website (I) | First, second, and third trimester and 5 wks | None |
| Herbec et al [44], 2014; United Kingdom | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | Pregnant smoking women (99/101) | MumsQuit: internet-based smoking cessation | Internet-based, access face-to-face, or telephone support (I) | First, second, and third trimester and 4 wks of prequit date support and up to 4 weeks of postquit date support (8 weeks) | One-page static, nonpersonalized website that provided brief standard advice |
| Huang et al [35], 2021; China | 2-armed RCT (PP) | Pregnant women with GDM (144/151) | Mobile health management on GDM | Instant messenger by mobile phone (G) | Late second and third trimester and approximately 12-20 wks | Usual prenatal care |
| Krusche et al [45], 2018; United Kingdom | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | 12-34 weeks’ gestation (107/78) | Be Mindful online | Website (I) | Late first, second, and third trimester and 4 wks | None |
| Lemelin et al [47], 2020; Canada | 2-armed quasi-experimental trial (ITT) | 21-30 weeks’ gestation with newly diagnosed GDM (80/81) | Telehomecare (THCa) program for GDM management | Website (I) | Late second and third trimester and approximately 10-20 wks (until delivery) | None |
| Loughnan et al [46], 2019; Australia | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | 13-30 weeks’ gestation with anxiety or depression (18/33) | MUMentum (unguided ICBT) for antenatal anxiety and depression | Website (I) | Second and third trimester and 4 wks | Usual treatment |
| Lu and Huang [38], 2022; China | 2-armed RCT (PP) | Pregnant women with GDM (44/44) | Fetal monitoring using Internet of Things and GDM educational information | Instant messenger by mobile phone (I) | Late second and third trimester and 3 mo | Usual prenatal care |
| Matvienko-Sikar and Dockray [49], 2017; Ireland | 3-armed RCT; 2-armed RCT for analysis (PP) | 10-22 weeks’ gestation (24/12) | Online mindfulness and gratitude intervention (body scan and reflection intervention) | Websites (I) | Second trimester and 3 wks | Usual treatment |
| Olson et al [32], 2018; United States | 2-armed RCT (ITT and PP) | ≤20 weeks’ gestation (1126/563) | e-Mom, m-Mom: self-help, integrated mobile phone and web-based behavior change intervention in preventing excessive gestational weight gain | Website (I) | Late first, second, and third trimester and 28-30 wks | None |
| Perez-Ferre et al [52], 2010; Spain | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 24-28 weeks’ gestation with GDM (49/48) | Telemedicine system | Telemedicine system based on internet and SMS text messaging (I) | Late second and third trimester and approximately 16-18 wks | None |
| Scherer et al [43], 2016; Switzerland | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 18-32 weeks’ gestation with preterm labor (31/27) | Internet-based cognitive behavioral stress management | Website (I) | Late second and third trimester an 6 wks | None |
| Smith et al [33], 2016; United States | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 10-14 weeks’ gestation (24/21) | Web-based behavioral intervention preventing excessive gestational weight gain | Website (I) | Late first, second, and third trimester, (3 weeks during GA approximately 10-36 wks) and approximately 20-26 wks | None |
| Su et al [39], 2021; Taiwan | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | Pregnant women with GDM risk factors (56/56) | Web-based health management in preventing women at high risk of GDM from developing metabolic syndrome | Website, instant messenger by mobile phone (I) | Late second and third trimester as well as approximately 6-12 wks post partum and 6 mo | Usual prenatal care |
| Tomyabatra [54], 2020; Thailand | 2-armed RCT (ITT) | Pregnant women (602/558) | Antenatal health education using audio-video social network about severe obstetric symptoms | Instant messenger: LINE app by mobile phone (G) | First, second, and third trimester and approximately 30-36 wks | Usual antenatal health education |
| Tsai et al [40], 2018; Taiwan | 2-armed quasi-experimental trial (PP) | 16-24 weeks’ gestation (68/67) | Web-based antenatal care system and routine antenatal education | Website (I) | Second and third trimester and approximately 12-22 wks | Usual antenatal health education |
| Tzilos Wernette et al [34], 2018; United States | 2-armed RCT (PP) | Unplanned pregnant women, condomless sex, and alcohol or drug use or at risk for prenatal alcohol/drug use (31/19) | Health Checkup for Expectant Moms of substance use and risky sex | Computerizing intervention authoring system (I) | First, second and third trimester and approximately 75 min | Watching brief segments of popular television shows with subsequent questions |
| Urech et al [42], 2017; Switzerland | 2-armed RCT (PP) | 18-32 weeks’ gestation diagnosed preterm labor (50/43) | Internet-based cognitive behavioral stress management | Website (I) | Late second and third trimester and 6 wks | None |
| Whitcombe et al [29], 2021; United States | 3-armed quasi-experimental trial (ITT) | 21-30 weeks’ gestation with newly diagnosed GDM (21/45/37) | Web-Based Instruction on Nutrition | Website (I) | Late second and third trimester and NR | None |
| Wu and Hung [41], 2019; Taiwan | 2-armed quasi-experimental trial (ITT) | <12 week’s gestation (66/55) | The Expectant Mother Club: Virtual Community | Closed social network community: closed community (G) | First, second, and third trimester and at least 24-26 wks | Usual prenatal care |
aI: individual.
bG: group.
cRCT: randomized controlled trial.
dPP: per-protocol.
eNR: not reported.
fITT: intention-to-treat.
gGA: gestational age.
hICBT: internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy.
iGDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.