Mobile application as a prenatal education and engagement tool: A randomized controlled pilot

Abstract

This study shows that mobile apps can prompt greater use and result in more activated patients. Findings may be translated to other patient populations who receive recurring care for chronic disease.

The Rise and Need for Mobile Apps for Maternal and Child Health Care in China: Survey Based on App Markets (Preprint)

“…MHealth is widely acknowledged for its effectiveness in delivering verbal and visual messages [12]. It can also be very successful in delivering personalized patient care services.…”

Pregnant Users’ Perceptions of the Birth Plan Interface in the “My Prenatal Care” App: Observational Validation Study (Preprint)

“…Other reports with similar target users have revealed that Internet access through websites or mobile apps was useful in helping women adopt a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy and in self-managing their prenatal care [25,26]. In fact, the introduction of an obstetric electronic health record has improved documentation completeness [27].…”

The Rise of Pregnancy Apps and the Implications for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Women: Narrative Review (Preprint)

“…One recent study [39] seeking to determine the effectiveness of an app compared to a traditional notebook for record keeping and journaling during pregnancy found that the group assigned to the app used it more frequently and were more engaged than those in the notebook group. This is a promising result since patient engagement is associated with better health outcomes.…”

“…This is a promising result since patient engagement is associated with better health outcomes. The app users also rated their care higher, with the authors suggesting "patients may perceive that when their health system develops a mobile app specific to their care, they are receiving better health care" [39]. Likewise, a US study investigating breastfeeding education using mhealth during prenatal visits, reported increased rates of breastfeeding initiation, and exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks and six months post-partum compared to the existing local rates [40].…”