The Effect of Counseling on Hemoglobin, Hematocrit and Weight Gain in Teenage Pregnant Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background Pregnant women's health is a major health priority in all countries. Teenage pregnancies can be high-risk. This study was conducted to determine the effect of counseling on hemoglobin, hematocrit and weight gain in teenage pregnant women. Materials and Methods This randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted on 120 teenage women with a gestational age of 20 to 24 months presenting to medical centers in Ardabil, Iran, in 2016 to 2017. The participants were assigned to a counseling (n=60) and a control (n=60) group through randomized blocked sampling. The intervention group received counseling on self-care, symptoms and risks of teenage pregnancy and methods for its prevention in five 60-minute sessions and booklets were distributed among them, too. Each woman and her husband received private counseling in the last session based on their questions and problems. The control group received routine care. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and weight at the beginning of pregnancy and before delivery were evaluated. The independent t-test and ANCOVA with adjusted baseline values were used to analyze the data. Results: The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of demographic details, except the mother's age and baseline hemoglobin and hematocrit levels (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups after the intervention (with adjusted baseline values) in terms of hemoglobin (adjusted mean difference: -0.07, 95% confidence Interval: 0.31 to -0.46, P=0.710), hematocrit (-0.14, 0.76 to -1.05, P=0.747), and pregnancy weight gain (0.07,1.80 to -1.65, P=0.931). Conclusion The results showed that providing counseling to teenage women during pregnancy does not affect their hemoglobin and hematocrit levels and pregnancy weight gain.