Self-Efficacy Education and Pregnancy Self-Care in Adolescent Women Living in Slums in Iran: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of self-efficacy–based education on pregnancy self-care among adolescent women living in slum areas of Zahedan, Iran. A total of 90 pregnant adolescents were recruited and randomly assigned by health center to intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in four weekly educational sessions designed according to Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, while both groups received routine prenatal care. Data were collected using a validated pregnancy self-care questionnaire before and six weeks after the intervention. Results showed significant improvements in overall self-efficacy and all its domains (nutrition, exercise, non-smoking, personal hygiene, and routine pregnancy care) among the intervention group compared to controls. These findings suggest that self-efficacy–based educational interventions can effectively promote self-care behaviors in pregnant adolescents, particularly those in socioeconomically disadvantaged settings.