Validation of the preliminary intervention protocol
weight gain, Weight gain
Ten experts participated in the discussion session. The expert panel consisted of an obstetrician, a physiotherapist, 2 coaches, a psychologist, 4 clinical nurses, and a midwife. The characteristics of the expert panel members are presented in Table The experts claimed that the number of 15–20 participants in a small group may make it difficult for participants to deeply communicate with each other. According to their clinical experience, they suggested that 8–10 participants in a small group were more effective. The experts think that more online sessions may lead to a higher rate of dropouts. It’s better to add more face-to-face sessions. As the pregnant women in small groups with similar EDC, the face-to-face session could be added according to the antenatal visits following the pregnancy progress.In addition, the experts claimed that some pregnant women refuse to engage in physical activity for safety precautions due to the Chinese traditional taboos. It is necessary to know the safety precautions when doing physical activity during pregnancy. Pregnant women will be more motivated to begin and maintain physical activity if they feel safe when doing physical activity. In addition, women will have physiological weight gain following the pregnancy’s progress. Weight gain is a visual indicator for pregnant women. Regular physical activity during pregnancy could help to control weight gain within a reasonable context. Pregnant women will be more confident to keep moving when perceiving the positive effect. Knowledge regarding healthy weight gain during pregnancy is needed in the education session. Except for the exercise diary, every day’s weight is suggested to be recorded in the diary too.Experts claimed that group discussion was one of the most effective approaches to enhancing physical activity self-efficacy in the present study. Pregnant women may shape better confidence by having more chances to speak out and share their experiences with others. The role of the intervener in the group discussion is as a toastmaster to ask questions and introduce pregnant women to talk more.