THE ROLE AND IMPACT OF INTERNET USE ON DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF PREGNANT WOMEN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

https://doi.org/10.71284/tjmhs.2026328

Özet

Objective: This study was designed to determine the role and effect of internet use in pregnant women's decision-making processes.
Methods: The research was conducted at a pregnant outpatient clinic of a public hospital in Istanbul
between April-July 2023. The sample size was calculated as minimum 242 using G*Power analysis
(effect size=0.25, alpha=0.05, power=0.80), and 494 pregnant women were included to increase data
reliability. Data were collected using the Personal Information Form and the Internet-Based Decision
Making Scale in Pregnancy (GİYKAÖ) through face-to-face interviews.
Results: 86.2% of pregnant women use social media, and 53.4% prefer the internet due to easy access to information. 46.9% of participants pay attention to and research internet information even if they do not fully believe it. The mean total GİYKAÖ score was 34.31±8.03. University graduates had higher self efficacy (p=0.003) and self-control (p=0.017) scores. Primiparous women (p=0.003), those with nuclear family structure (p=0.032), and those with planned pregnancies (p=0.031) were at higher levels in internet-based decision making.
Conclusion: The internet has become a "second opinion" source for pregnant women and has become
significantly integrated into decision-making processes. It is recommended that health professionals
direct pregnant women to reliable sources within the framework of digital health literacy and question
their internet use.
Keywords: Pregnancy, internet, decision making, digital health literacy, social media