Senators Give the Nod to a New Maternal Health App
By
Joseph Marks
Consider it a late Mother’s Day gift.
Did you miss Mother’s Day? You’re not alone. A bipartisan group of senators announced Tuesday they’ll be honoring Mother’s Day Thursday with a briefing on the text4baby app, which texts prenatal tips to expectant mothers based on the stage of their pregnancy.
Most of us wouldn’t get a pass on a two-days-late Mother’s Day gift, but considering Congresses’ typical schedule, we’ll let this one slide.
Programs similar to text4baby have been rolled out internationally by the United States Agency for International Development’s Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action or MAMA program.
The Health and Human Services Department is trying to spur numerous text-based health programs as part of its Text4Health initiative.
Text4baby was launched by the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition with funding from Johnson and Johnson among other companies, according to its website.
Sens. Tom Carper, D-Del., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Mary Landrieu, D-La. and Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., will host Thursday’s briefing in the Capitol Visitor’s Center.