Special delivery: an analysis of mHealth in maternal and newborn health programs and their outcomes around the world
- PMID: 21688111
- DOI: 10.1007/s10995-011-0836-3
Special delivery: an analysis of mHealth in maternal and newborn health programs and their outcomes around the world
Abstract
Mobile health (mHealth) encompasses the use of mobile telecommunication and multimedia into increasingly mobile and wireless health care delivery systems and has the potential to improve tens of thousands of lives each year. The ubiquity and penetration of mobile phones presents the opportunity to leverage mHealth for maternal and newborn care, particularly in under-resourced health ecosystems. Moreover, the slow progress and funding constraints in attaining the Millennium Development Goals for child and maternal health encourage harnessing innovative measures, such as mHealth, to address these public health priorities. This literature review provides a schematic overview of the outcomes, barriers, and strategies of integrating mHealth to improve prenatal and neonatal health outcomes. Six electronic databases were methodically searched using predetermined search terms. Retrieved articles were then categorized according to themes identified in previous studies. A total of 34 articles and reports contributed to the findings with information about the use and limitations of mHealth for prenatal and neonatal healthcare access and delivery. Health systems have implemented mHealth programs to facilitate emergency medical responses, point-of-care support, health promotion and data collection. However, the policy infrastructure for funding, coordinating and guiding the sustainable adoption of prenatal and neonatal mHealth services remains under-developed. The integration of mobile health for prenatal and newborn health services has demonstrated positive outcomes, but the sustainability and scalability of operations requires further feedback from and evaluation of ongoing programs.
Similar articles
-
Designing and Implementing an Innovative SMS-based alert system (RapidSMS-MCH) to monitor pregnancy and reduce maternal and child deaths in Rwanda.Pan Afr Med J. 2012;13:31. Epub 2012 Oct 14. Pan Afr Med J. 2012. PMID: 23330022 Free PMC article.
-
Cluster randomized trial of a mHealth intervention "ImTeCHO" to improve delivery of proven maternal, neonatal, and child care interventions through community-based Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) by enhancing their motivation and strengthening supervision in tribal areas of Gujarat, India: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2017 Jun 9;18(1):270. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-1998-0. Trials. 2017. PMID: 28599674 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Assessing the Effect of mHealth Interventions in Improving Maternal and Neonatal Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review.PLoS One. 2016 May 4;11(5):e0154664. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154664. eCollection 2016. PLoS One. 2016. PMID: 27144393 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Designing mHealth for maternity services in primary health facilities in a low-income setting - lessons from a partially successful implementation.BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2018 Nov 12;18(1):96. doi: 10.1186/s12911-018-0704-9. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2018. PMID: 30419891 Free PMC article.
-
Using mobile phones to improve young people sexual and reproductive health in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review to identify barriers, facilitators, and range of mHealth solutions.Reprod Health. 2021 Jan 16;18(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s12978-020-01059-7. Reprod Health. 2021. PMID: 33453723 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Interventions to improve the quality of maternal care in Ethiopia: a scoping review.Front Glob Womens Health. 2024 Apr 17;5:1289835. doi: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1289835. eCollection 2024. Front Glob Womens Health. 2024. PMID: 38694232 Free PMC article.
-
Effectiveness and Implementation of a Text Messaging mHealth Intervention to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Mexico in the COVID-19 Context: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024 Apr 9;12:e55509. doi: 10.2196/55509. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2024. PMID: 38592753 Free PMC article.
-
Intention to Use an Electronic Community Health Information System Among Health Extension Workers in Rural Northwest Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 Model.JMIR Hum Factors. 2024 Mar 4;11:e47081. doi: 10.2196/47081. JMIR Hum Factors. 2024. PMID: 38437008 Free PMC article.
-
Development of a customized m-Health-based intervention to reduce loss to follow-up among patients undergoing treatment for cervical lesions at a rural referral Hospital, South Western Uganda.Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2024 Feb 24;52:101338. doi: 10.1016/j.gore.2024.101338. eCollection 2024 Apr. Gynecol Oncol Rep. 2024. PMID: 38435345 Free PMC article.
-
Use of mHealth in promoting maternal and child health in "BIMARU" states of India "A health system strengthening strategy": Systematic literature review.PLOS Digit Health. 2024 Feb 2;3(2):e0000403. doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000403. eCollection 2024 Feb. PLOS Digit Health. 2024. PMID: 38306391 Free PMC article. Review.
References
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical