mHealth for midwives: a call to action

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Digital Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Mobile phone use has expanded globally, even in remote areas.
• This growth has spurred the development of information and communication technology for development (ICT4D).
• Mobile technology in healthcare, known as mHealth, has emerged as an innovative field.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evolution and challenges of mHealth.
• To discuss mHealth's role in achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.
• To address the potential impact of mHealth on midwifery.

Main Methods:

• Review of mHealth interventions in maternal and child health.
• Analysis of mHealth's contribution to reproductive health programs.
• Exploration of mHealth's utility in emergency transport, remote consultation, and community education via SMS.

Main Results:

• mHealth interventions are increasingly used internationally to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
• mHealth demonstrates utility in various reproductive health program aspects, including emergency transport and education.
• The article highlights the potential of mHealth to significantly impact global health initiatives.

Conclusions:

• mHealth is a vital emerging area in global health, particularly for reproductive health.
• Midwifery leadership is essential for ensuring mHealth programs meet women's and midwives' needs.
• Early leadership by midwives in mHealth will shape future, relevant global health programming.