The effectiveness of Information-Motivation and Behavioral skills (IMB) model of self-care in early pregnancy to prevent gestational diabetes mellitus in Iranian overweight and obese women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background: Gestational diabetes is one of the most common metabolic dysfunction in pregnancy and as overweight and obesity are of the major risk factors, this study aimed to determine the effect of Information-Motivation and Behavioral skills (IMB) model-based counseling on preventing gestational diabetes in overweight and obese pregnant women. Methods: A randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted involving pregnant women who are overweight (BMI >25 to 29.9 k/gm2) or obese (BMI >30 k/gm2), at the 12 to 16 weeks gestation and recruited from the Prenatal Clinic of Rohani Educational Hospital in Babol medical university, Iran, women in the intervention group will receive a program informed four sessions by the Information-Motivation and Behavioral skills. The control group received routine care. Blood glucose was measured before and 8 weeks after the intervention. Descriptive and inferential statistics including mean, standard deviation, frequency, t-test, chi-square and ANCOVA were used. Results: The prevalence of gestational diabetes was lower in the intervention group than the routine care group (10% and 29.9%, respectively, RR=0.33, CI 95% (0.15- 0.74) p=0.004) as well as mean fasting blood glucose (d=0.28, P=0.07), and glucose tolerance test at the first and second hour (d= 0.41 and d=0.73, respectively, p<0.01). Conclusions: Our data suggest that women that IMB model-based counseling on self-care in early pregnancy in overweight and obese pregnant women can be effective in preventing gestational diabetes. Keywords: Gestational Diabetes, Obesity, Overweight, Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model Name of the registry: Comparison of the effectiveness of counseling based on health promoting behaviors on fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance test in pregnant and overweight and obese women IRCT registration number: IRCT20120125008822N3Registration date: 2018-07-05, 1397/04/14Registration timing: prospective https://en.irct.ir/trial/32150