Feb 5, 2010 5:46 pm US/Eastern
Healthy Baby Campaign Reaches Moms Via Text
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
There are two new important tools to help pregnant women keep themselves and their babies healthy. The first is a new program that sends helpful information right to a woman's cell phone.
The White House has just launched a cool new program where expectant and new moms can get free texts right on their cell phone offering advice during pregnancy and through their baby's first year.
The government's
new text-4-baby campaign sends moms important tips about their specific stage of pregnancy and their baby's development in the first year of life. Studies have shown similar programs can reduce unhealthy behaviors in pregnant women in other countries. Experts hope it will have the same effect here in the US.
Dr. Laura Riley of Mass. General Hospital says, "I think it's an awesome program, it about time we recognize that women get the health information from a lot of different sources, most patients have cell phones so why not give them the information on their cell phone."
The program is being sponsored by several companies and most major phone carriers have agreed to waive all fees for receiving the texts.
Meanwhile researchers at Yale have also developed a new urine test that can predict and diagnose preeclampsia. The dangerous condition causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and can pose risks for both mother and baby.
Dr. Riley explains, "Some women get very ill, some women have seizures which is very concerning, and the babies can do quite poorly, it is the leading cause of prematurity."
Experts hope that both the urine test for preeclampsia and the new text-4-baby campaign can help lower the number of premature births in if you'd like more about the new texts, log onto
www.text4baby.org.
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