Integrating Mobile Health Technology in Community Based Doula Programs to Extend Childcare Related Support to Adolescent Single Mothers

Abstract

The effect of all aspects of maternal health before, during, and after pregnancy on prenatal and early childhood health and well-being is well documented. Early childhood outcomes have been empirically established as predictors of well-being in later life (Heckman et. al., 2013). Research on motherhood indicates that social and instrumental support from family of origin has a greater positive impact on adolescent mothers than adult mothers (Nath et. al., 1991). However, the absence of such forms of support among adolescent single mothers might have detrimental implications for maternal and child well-being outcomes. The role of doulas in providing physical, emotional, and informational support to mothers during labor and post-partum, and fostering positive mother-infant relationships is widely recognized in maternal and child health research. (Ahlemeyer, J., & Mahon, S., 2015, & Hans et. al., 2013). Therefore, community-based doula programs can be an effective way to improve maternal and child health outcomes in populations of adolescent single mothers. This paper proposes adaptation of existing community-based doula programs to the unique features of adolescent parenting by integrating mobile health technology to build an alert virtual ecosystem that facilitates immediate provision of social and instrumental support, and childcare related services to adolescent single mothers at high risk of detrimental birth outcomes.