PREGNATE MOTHERS - Text4baby Executive Summary
Each year in the U.S., more than 500,000 babies are born prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday. In response to this national public health crisis, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) has launched text4baby, a free mobile information service that provides pregnant women and new moms with information to help them care for their health and give their babies the best possible start in life.
Women who sign up for the service by texting BABY to 511411 (or BEBE in Spanish) receive free SMS text messages each week, timed to their due date or baby’s date of birth. These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health and safe sleep. Text4baby messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other resources.
Text messaging represents an enormous yet untapped channel for delivering vital health information to those who need it most. Over 1.5 trillion SMS text messages were sent in the U.S. in 2008, with texting use higher among women of childbearing age.
The text4baby initiative includes a robust evaluation led by The George Washington University with potential to demonstrate the impact of text4baby, and mobile health technology more broadly, on maternal and child health.
Text4baby Partners. Text4baby is made possible through a broad, public-private partnership that includes government, corporations, academic institutions, professional associations, tribal agencies and non-profit organizations. Founding partners are HMHB, Voxiva, CTIA - The Wireless Foundation and Grey Healthcare Group (a WPP company). Johnson & Johnson is the founding sponsor, and premier sponsors include WellPoint, Pfizer and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. U.S. government partners include the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Defense Military Health System. The mobile health platform is provided by Voxiva and free messaging services are generously provided by participating wireless service providers. Implementation partners include BabyCenter, Danya International, Syniverse Technologies, Keynote Systems and The George Washington University. MTV Networks is a media sponsor.
Outreach Partners. The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition is working with a broad range of partners to encourage the women they reach to take advantage of this free service. Outreach partners include state and local health departments, community health centers, WIC programs, health plans, retail partners, community organizations, major medical associations and nonprofit organizations dedicated to the health of mothers, babies and families. For more information about text4baby, please contact HMHB at info@text4baby.org.
About HMHB. HMHB is a recognized leader and resource in maternal and child health, reaching an estimated 10 million health care professionals, parents and policymakers through its membership of over 100 local, state and national organizations. HMHB was founded in 1981, prompted by the U.S. Surgeon General’s conference on infant mortality. Six lead organizations established the informal coalition to improve the quality and reach of public and professional education related to prenatal and infant care, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, March of Dimes, American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, National Congress of Parents and Teachers and the U.S. Public Health Service.
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