Social Media in Pregnancy Care: Exploring Adoption Factors and Digital Healthcare Information Utilization among Expectant Mothers in Ghana

BACKGROUND: The Antenatal Care (ANC) Center is a conventional facility that caters for the prenatal healthcare needs of expectant mothers and ensures proper management by healthcare professionals; however, expectant mothers seek healthcare support from other sources. This study aimed to examine the utilization of social media for healthcare information among expectant mothers in the capital city of Ghana and explore the factors that influence its adoption. METHOD: This study employed a non-experimental survey design. The study used a questionnaire to gather data from expectant mothers. Using 580 valid responses, SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the study model. RESULTS: The study findings demonstrated the significant influence of performance expectancy of social media (PESM) and facilitating conditions of social media (FCSM) on social media healthcare information usage (SMHIU). The results also revealed that emotional support on social media and perceived vulnerability were influential factors that shaped expectant mothers' choices to use social media for healthcare information. However, the study showed that perceived severity and the relative advantage of social media had no significant effects on SMHIU. Interestingly, FCSM was found to be significantly associated with PESM, emphasizing that social media support enhances performance expectancy. CONCLUSION: This study showed that information is important to expectant mothers, which compels them to seek digital healthcare. With these findings, healthcare providers can incorporate digital health services into their ANC service to support women during pregnancy.