Interior Health is offering a new program for expectant moms through text message.
SmartMom is a free prenatal education program that will offer information timed to a woman’s pregnancy to ensure she gets the right information at the right time, according to a news release from Interior Health.
“Only 32 per cent of women in Canada attend prenatal education classes, and we know that number decreases further for those in rural and remote communities,” said Nancy Delgado, Interior Health’s SmartMom project manager.
“By offering SmartMom, we’re now able to offer consistent, evidence-based prenatal education to moms-to-be across the Interior Health region.”
Pregnant women will receive messages up to three times a week. They can choose the time and days that work best.
Some of the information covered by the program includes how the baby is developing, topics that should be discussed with a caregiver and tips on how to have a healthy pregnancy and manage labour.
“Information can also be customized to include resources about personal health concerns such as smoking cessation, reducing alcohol intake, and healthy eating and weight management,” Delgado said.