Preferences of women in Jakarta on learning methods and media relating to healthy eating during pregnancy: A qualitative study

Objective: The nutrition of pregnant women and of their child during the first 1,000 d of life is vital, as it affects fetal development and maternal health. Nutrition education is a strategy used to improve the nutritional status of pregnant women by increasing their knowledge, encouraging the practice of diversity, and teaching the proper amounts of food consumed in accordance with the specific requirements of pregnancy. Learning methods should promote the sustainability of good nutritional habits. Educational media is an important component of a quality learning system. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of learning methods and media regarding nutrition and healthy eating during pregnancy. Methods: The study is exploratory in design with a qualitative approach to data collection. It was conducted between May and September of 2019, with 37 pregnant women living in Jakarta who participated in an online survey by responding to a questionnaire. Results: Three of findings on nutrition and health emerged: the source of information were individual learning (i.e., internet/social media, and print media) and non-individual learning (i.e., discussing with health workers, family and close friends); preferences expressed for learning materials were interactive books and videos; for learning methods, preferences were role-playing and simulation learning, peer teaching/cooperative learning, and lectures/seminars. Conclusion: The study concluded that the provision of nutrition education for pregnant women should be presented through direct interaction and discussion using interesting and interactive learning media.