BACKGROUND:
Nutrition is essential for healthy pregnancies, but pregnant women in low-resource rural areas face barriers to accessing reliable nutritional information. Despite the growing use of mobile health solutions (mHealth) to bridge such gaps, there remain significant mismatches between digital health solutions and the lived realities of rural users.

OBJECTIVE:
The study aimed to explore the barriers to effective nutrition messaging for mHealth among pregnant women in low-resource rural settings in South Africa.

METHODS:
This study used a qualitative phenomenological approach to explore the experiences of pregnant women in the Capricorn district of Limpopo province. Data, including audio recordings, were collected through nine focus group discussions in purposively selected clinics with 5-8 attendees per group, using semi-structured interview guides. Reflexivity was maintained to reduce bias. Thematic analysis was applied. Trustworthiness and ethical standards, including informed consent and confidentiality, were strictly respected.

RESULTS:
This study revealed that the nutritional message of mHealth is impeded by poverty, food insecurity, limited digital access, data or airtime, and cultural mismatches. Women faced difficulties in applying nutritional advice due to the workload and conflicting advice from traditional sources. Preferences for visual, local language, and interactive content were reported, highlighting the importance of trusted social networks in shaping nutritional behaviour and message acceptance.

CONCLUSIONS:
The study findings advocate for offline-first community-based mHealth approaches that reflect socioeconomic realities. Interventions should be user-centred, using local languages, culturally relevant content, and interactive two-way communication to ensure relevance and impact in low-resource settings. Collaboration with elders and religious leaders is essential to enhance the credibility and acceptance of health messages.