Voice-Based vs. Text-Based WhatsApp Messaging for Maternal Health Knowledge and Attitudes Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Abuja, Nigeria

THE QUICK READ

What this study involves

The registry does not currently label this study as recruiting. Ask about its status before planning a screening visit.

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Not applicable
Age range: 18 years - Not specified
Sex eligible: Female
Healthy volunteers: Accepted
Participants: 79 Actual

These are starting points, not an eligibility decision. The research team must review the full requirements.

About the research

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether sending maternal health information via voice-based WhatsApp messages is more effective than text-based WhatsApp messages. The study enrolled 79 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Abuja, Nigeria, who were assigned to receive weekly voice messages, text messages, or standard care over an eight-week period. The primary goal is to determine if voice messaging produces greater improvements in maternal health knowledge and attitudes, which could offer a scalable, low-literacy-friendly tool to improve maternal health outcomes in Nigeria.

Read the full description

Maternal mortality remains unacceptably high in sub-Saharan Africa, and gaps in maternal health knowledge contribute to delayed care-seeking behavior. While mobile health (mHealth) interventions offer scalable solutions, evidence directly comparing voice-based and text-based delivery formats in African settings is lacking.

This three-arm pilot randomized controlled trial was designed to address this gap by evaluating the preliminary effectiveness of voice-based versus text-based WhatsApp messaging on maternal health knowledge and attitudes. The theoretical rationale for the intervention is grounded in media richness and social presence frameworks, which suggest that voice communication conveys paralinguistic cues and creates greater social presence than text alone, potentially reducing cognitive load for women with limited literacy.

Participants were randomized into three arms: voice-based WhatsApp messaging, text-based WhatsApp messaging, or a standard care control group. The intervention consisted of weekly maternal health messages delivered over an eight-week period. The educational content, adapted from WHO and UNICEF maternal health materials, covered topics including nutrition, danger signs, breastfeeding, and postnatal care. Messages were delivered by a trained research assistant via a WhatsApp broadcast list, with the voice arm receiving audio recordings and the text arm receiving written messages of equivalent content.

The primary objective is to determine if voice-based messaging results in greater improvements in maternal health knowledge and attitudes compared to text-based messaging and standard care. Secondary exploratory objectives include assessing changes in a binary knowledge battery. The results of this pilot trial are intended to establish preliminary effect sizes and inform the design of a definitive, multi-site randomized controlled trial to evaluate voice messaging at scale.

Who may be able to participate?

The list below is the sponsor’s full registry wording. It can include conditions, prior treatment, test results and other requirements. A match in search does not mean you qualify.

Inclusion Criteria:

Pregnant or breastfeeding women attending Kuchingoro Primary Health Care Centre.

Own a mobile phone with WhatsApp capability.

Willing to receive health messages over an eight-week period.

Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Inability to provide informed consent.

Any medical condition precluding participation.

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Treatment, groups and participation

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Assignment: Random assignment
Masking: Triple masked

Voice-Based Messaging

Participants received weekly maternal health audio messages via WhatsApp for eight weeks.

Behavioral: Participants received weekly maternal health audio messages delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF maternal health education material

Text-Based Messaging

Participants received weekly maternal health text messages via WhatsApp for eight weeks.

Behavioral: Participants received weekly maternal health audio messages delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF maternal health education material

Standard Care

Participants received standard routine care at the health facility without the WhatsApp messaging intervention

Participants received weekly maternal health audio messages delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF maternal health education material BEHAVIORAL

Participants received weekly maternal health written messages of equivalent content delivered over eight weeks via a WhatsApp broadcast list. Message content was adapted from WHO and UNICEF materials and covered nutrition, danger signs, breastfeeding, and postnatal care.

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What researchers are measuring

Outcome measures describe what is being studied. They are not proof that a treatment works.

Primary measures

Maternal Health Knowledge Score (Scale b2)

Time frame: Baseline (T0) and 8-week follow-up (T2)

Assessed using a Likert-type scale (Scale b2) to measure maternal health knowledge. Internal consistency was acceptable (α = .78 at baseline, .81 at follow-up).

No results are flagged as posted.

Review the complete result tables and limitations in the official record.

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Research locations (1)

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Find a location in this study

1 locations

Kuchingoro Primary Health Care CentreAbuja, Federal Capital Territory, NigeriaStatus unknown

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Study team and timeline

Lead sponsor: Duy Tan University
Study start: May 10, 2026 Actual
Primary completion: Aug 20, 2026 Actual
Study completion: Sep 10, 2026 Actual
First posted: Nov 10, 2026 Actual
Last updated: Nov 10, 2026 Actual

Official study contacts

No central contact is listed. Check the locations and the official record.

Official study title

Voice-Based vs. Text-Based WhatsApp Messaging for Maternal Health Knowledge and Attitudes Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Abuja, Nigeria: A Three-Arm Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A HUMAN NEXT STEP

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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Information is submitted by sponsors and investigators. NLM does not approve the safety or science of all listed studies. Registry disclaimer.

Retrieved: Nov 12, 2026 · Last registry update: Nov 10, 2026