Study on Prenatal Choline Nutrition Education and Its Effects on Maternal and Infant Health in Pregnant Women Aged 18 to 40

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effects of prenatal choline nutrition education on maternal choline intake, placental efficiency, and infant health. The study focuses on pregnant women aged 18 to 40 with a healthy singleton pregnancy. Choline is an essential nutrient important for maternal lipid metabolism, placental function, and fetal development, yet less than 10% of pregnant women consume enough, and few prenatal vitamins contain it. This study aims to understand how education based on the Health Belief Model can improve these outcomes. Participants are randomly assigned to either receive choline nutrition education or usual care. Those in the education group will receive virtual lessons every four weeks from gestational weeks 18 to 34, with additional check-in messages between lessons to encourage engagement. The control group will receive usual care and access to the educational materials only after completing all study assessments at 36 weeks gestation. Throughout the study, participants complete dietary assessments at 16 and 36 weeks gestation to measure choline intake. Infant body composition will be evaluated using a DXA scan at one month postnatal. Researchers will monitor maternal diet, placental efficiency, and infant body fat to assess the impact of the education. Participation lasts from early pregnancy through one month after birth, with ongoing data collection to understand maternal and child health outcomes.

PREnatal Choline and Infant Outcomes Study