Collecting prenatal life-course data from electronic maternal and child health applications

Abstract Issue Prenatal environmental factors affect lifelong health outcomes. Paper-based maternal and child health (MCH) handbooks limit systematic data collection on lifestyle and exposure factors. For this, we piloted an electronic MCH app in a Japanese town to collect prenatal data, providing evidence to inform public health policies and improve MCH outcomes. This model offers insights for adoption in other countries. Description of the problem Launched in August 2023, the project used an electronic MCH app to collect comprehensive prenatal environmental and lifestyle data beyond standard MCH information. The main objective was to explore associations among maternal behavior, fetal growth, and long-term health outcomes for early non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention. This digital approach systematically gathered risk-factor data throughout pregnancy to support global health policies. Key research question: Can the app effectively collect life course cohort data and continuously gather data on pregnancy-related lifestyle habits and maternal mental status? Results The app effectively collected cohort data, enabling continuous monitoring of maternal behaviors and mental health during pregnancy. The download rate was 82.2% and the initial survey response rate was 89.9%. However, response rates dropped over time, reaching 3% in the third trimester. Respondents (average age 31 years, SD = 4.5) were all mothers, with 27% being healthcare professionals. Of note, 75% reported no smoking, 65.6% abstained from alcohol, 78.1% ate breakfast regularly, and 68.8% took folic acid supplements, highlighting the app's potential to track key behaviors. Lessons This project showed strong early engagement, but participation declined as pregnancy progressed. Strategies such as offering support or incentives may sustain responses. Japan's universal free prenatal check-up system-contributing to low perinatal mortality-may enhance the app's future integration with routine health-check data. Key messages • We developed an electronic MCH app that collects longitudinal life-course data. It may help identify risk factors for NCDs and support the development of new evidence-based prevention strategies. • New NCD prevention strategies require evidence of when and what lifestyle habits promote health. The electronic MCH app could be key in enabling life-course data collection, realizing this objective.