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.

BackgroundGovernments and health systems are increasingly using mobile devices to communicate with patients and the public. Targeted digital client communication is when the health system transmits information to particular individuals or groups of people, based on their health or demographic status. Common types of targeted client communication are text messages that remind people to go to appointments or take their medicines. Other types include phone calls, interactive voice response, or multimedia messages that offer healthcare information, advice, monitoring, and support.ObjectivesTo explore clients' perceptions and experiences of targeted digital communication via mobile devices on topics related to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, or adolescent health (RMNCAH).Search methodsWe searched MEDLINE (OvidSP), MEDLINE In‐Process & Other Non‐Indexed Citations (OvidSP), Embase (Ovid), World Health Organization Global Health Library, and POPLINE databases for eligible studies from inception to 3‐6 July 2017 dependant on the database (See appendix 2).Selection criteriaWe included studies that used qualitative methods for data collection and analysis; that explored clients' perceptions and experiences of targeted digital communication via mobile device in the areas of RMNCAH; and were from any setting globally.Data collection and analysisWe used maximum variation purposive sampling for data synthesis, employing a three‐step sampling frame. We conducted a framework thematic analysis using the Supporting the Use of Research Evidence (SURE) framework as our starting point. We assessed our confidence in the findings using the GRADE‐CERQual (Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach. We used a matrix approach to explore whether potential implementation barriers identified in our synthesis had been addressed in the trials included in the related Cochrane Reviews of effectiveness.Main resultsWe included 35 studies, from a wide range of countries on six continents. Nineteen studies were conducted in low‐ and middle‐income settings and sixteen in high‐income settings. Some of the studies explored the views of people who had experienced the interventions, whereas others were hypothetical in nature, asking what people felt they would like from a digital health intervention. The studies covered a range of digital targeted client communication, for example medication or appointment reminders, prenatal health information, support for smoking cessation while pregnant, or general sexual health information.Our synthesis showed that clients' experiences of these types of programmes were mixed. Some felt that these programmes provided them with feelings of support and connectedness, as they felt that someone was taking the time to send them messages (moderate confidence in the evidence). They also described sharing the messages with their friends and family (moderate confidence).However, clients also pointed to problems when using these programmes. Some clients had poor access to cell networks and t...

for sharing insights that informed the vision; and Brooke Partridge, Liz Grubin, Tamsyn Seimon, and Julie Pohlig for input on communicating the vision.

Targeted client communication via mobile devices for improving maternal, neonatal, and child health (Review)

Mobile technologies to support healthcare provider to healthcare provider communication and management of care (Review)