February 4, 2010
Nationwide Healthy Baby Campaign Uses Texts to Reach Mothers
A new text messaging campaign in the US aims to curb infant mortality by texting health tips to pregnant moms.
text4baby, is the first free campaign, 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.
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.
[via ABC News and Press release.
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/textually/archives/2010/02/025418.htm
| Tweet |
