Free Text Campaign Targets Pregnant Women

(AP)  Expectant American mothers are getting a new tool to help keep themselves and their babies healthy: pregnancy tips sent directly to their cell phones.

The so-called text4baby campaign is the first free, health education program in the U.S. to harness the reach of mobile phones, according to its sponsors, which include Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, WellPoint and CareFirst BlueCross and Blue Shield. Wireless carriers including AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have agreed to waive all fees for receiving the texts.

Organizers say texting is an effective means of delivering wellness tips because 90 percent of people in the U.S. have cell phones.

"Especially if you start talking about low-income people, cell phones are the indispensable tool for reaching them and engaging them about their health," said Paul Meyer, president of Voxiva, a company which operates health texting programs in Africa, Latin America and India.

Studies in those countries have shown that periodic texts can reduce smoking and other unhealthy behaviors in pregnant mothers.

Meyer said the U.S. program, run by Voxiva, will be the largest health-related texting program ever undertaken.

Under the new service, mothers-to-be who text "BABY" to 511411 will receive weekly text messages, timed to their due date or their baby's birth date. The messages, which have been vetted by government and nonprofit health experts, deal with nutrition, immunization and birth defect prevention, among other topics. The messages will continue through the baby's first birthday.

Text4baby is expected to be announced Thursday morning by officials from the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy. Government officials will be publicizing the campaign in speeches and promotional materials.

Read the White House Press Release

Organizers hope the effort can curb premature births, which can be caused by poor nutrition, excessive stress, smoking and drinking alcohol. About 500,000 babies are born prematurely in the U.S. each year, and 28,000 infants die before their first birthday, according to the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. The nonprofit is among the sponsors of the campaign.

"The real scary thing is that we're an industrialized nation and we're not doing very well on infant mortality, and we know prematurity is a big part of that," said the group's director, Judy Meehan.

Currently the U.S. ranks 30th worldwide for infant mortality, according to Meehan, behind most Western European nations.

Researchers at the George Washington University have agreed to evaluate the effectiveness of text4baby by measuring health trends for mothers and newborns.

[thejoker12]

Low income does not equal ignorant. This article doesn't explain the study that was performed to prove the results work. How many women were involved? Smokers who choose to smoke during pregnancy will continue reguardless of what some government program tells them. This is a waste of tax payer money. Why stop at low income mothers why not include all mothers? It sounds as if the government has profiled and is going to discriminate American women. Let DR.s take care of their patients. That is what they are getting paid to do. Let me remind people that it was the government who sterilized several children from low income families in Los Angeles. Kieser was given money to immunize low income children but never questioned why the girls were being immunized twice.

[SusanStoHelit]

A few of these tips, even if only followed by some could save us millions of dollars in care for premature and damaged babies.

[SusanStoHelit]

That'd be a great idea. So much of what you should know when you are pregnant is simply not presented to you. If you're low income, you likely get even less information. All this info that you don't get - especially with the minimal medical care someone low income will get:

Take prenatal vitamins - it's essential and can prevent some serious birth defects.
Avoid too much of the large fishes - including Tuna - it can contain lead and poison your child or hurt their mental development.
No smoking, no drinking, period.
No contact with a cat's litterbox - ever - can kill baby.
You aren't eating for 2 - you need a bit more food, but not double - and eating too much can cause life threatening problems for you and baby.
And sooo much more....

[thejoker12]

Hasn't it just been proven that multi vitamins really don't get absorbed by the body? When I was on WIC they gave me 12 cans of tuna a month.

[IndepTex20]

"The so-called text4baby campaign is the first free, health education program in the U.S. to harness the reach of mobile phones, according to its sponsors, which include Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, WellPoint and CareFirst BlueCross and Blue Shield. Wireless carriers including AT&T, Verizon and Sprint have agreed to waive all fees for receiving the texts. "

And does anyone think these business will not be passing those costs along to paying customers!? Obama just keeps redistributing the wealth like his agenda requires!!

[Robin081564]

Hmmm... I kinda like the photo choice. That is one beautiful pregnant woman right there... That's what I'm talkin' about. It looks like she may even be barefoot as well.... :P

[sandy19731]

I have to agree about the photo. Not too many low income people have white sofas.

What a great idea. I'm glad that they are also going to evaluate whether it works or not. It has sponsors and I don't even see any reference to public money being spent.

We need to reduce the number of premature births in this country - it's an incredible health risk for babies.

[maistir]

CBS' choice of the photo that accompanies this story is about as bizarre as it gets, if the focus is to be on low-income mothers-to-be.