The Impact of an Android Application on Compliance With Iron Supplementations in Pregnant Women

Background: Monitoring the adherence of pregnant women to taking iron supplements indicates controlling the appropriateness of taking a certain number of supplements. This increases the odds of effective iron absorption; a process that occurs by consuming at least 30 iron pills a month to prevent gestational anemia. This study aimed to determine the effects of monitoring pregnant women rsquo;s compliance in taking up iron supplements through an Android application in Jambi City, Indonesia. Methods: This was a quasiexperimental single group study with a pretestposttest design. The study subjects included 50 pregnant women in their third trimester referring to 3 maternity Hospitals in Jambi City, Indonesia, in 2020. Initial data were obtained through Hemoglobin (Hb) measurements before being given a monitoring application and subsequent Hb level checks after giving the application. The obtained data were analyzed by t-test and Mann-Whitney U test in SPSS v. 16. A significance level of 5% was considered. Results: The results obtained in the initial examination indicated that the minimum Hb level was equal to 7.3 g/dL and the maximum level was measured as 11.2 g/dL. After the intervention, the Hb level increased to a minimum of 7.6 g/dL and a maximum of 12.2 g/dL. The MannWhitney U test data suggested a significant difference in the degree of compliance of pregnant women with iron supplementation (P=0.010). Conclusion: Monitoring through the Android application increased pregnant women rsquo;s compliance with taking iron supplements and presented a linear impact on increasing their Hb level.