A Targeted Mobile Phone Intervention Use in Antenatal Care is Associated with Improved Antenatal and Postnatal Clinic Attendance amongst Pregnant Women in A Pastoralist Community in Narok County, Kenya: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BACKGROUND Antenatal care is a key high impact strategy to improve maternal and child health globally. This study examined the effects of a targeted mobile-phone intervention on ANC and Postnatal Clinic (PNC) attendance in a pastoralist community. MATERIALS AND METHODS An RCT was conducted in Narok County on pregnant mothers recruited early in pregnancy, enrolled and followed up to 42 days postpartum starting in June 2018. The intervention was bi-component; an SMS and a phone call reminder were administered in the intervention arm while the non-intervention group received routine care. RESULTS The 131 study participants in the intervention arm had a mean of 4.10 visits (SD 0.76, 95% CI 3.97-4.23). The 128 study participants in the non-intervention arm had a mean of 2.84 visits (SD 0.95, 95% CI 2.68-3.01). The difference in means was 1.256 (95% CI 1.044-1.256), which was statistically significant at a 95% confidence level (p-value