Now, ‘obstetrician’ in your pocket!
Gurvinder Singh
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, April 23
Good news for expecting women as your mobile phone will be your personal obstetrician to quite an extent!
The mobile app named ‘Mum2Be’ is for expecting ladies. A brainchild of Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat, the application was launched along with Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, at the Circuit House today.
It is an advanced mobile app that will not just calculate the due date of delivery of your child, but educate you about the schedule and information about tests, checkups, vaccinations and the nearest check-up centres, and like your solicitous ‘gynae’, the app will also send reminders about all these tests, vaccinations and even guide you to the nearest government health centres and delivery hospitals in the district, where medicines, tests and check-ups are done for free.
It is available at Google Play Store (for android users) and from App Store (for iphone users) by typing “Mum2Be” for free.
How it works
Once downloaded, one will have to fill the information about the ‘last menstrual cycle’, it will calculate the due date of delivery. It will also have the schedule of ‘antenatal care’ (ANC) check-ups, tests, vaccinations to be conducted for all trimesters of the pregnancy. The alerts of check-ups, tests and vaccinations are also coloured differently to easily differentiate. It will also have information regarding the basic medicines, precautions to be taken during pregnancy. The mobile app also provides information linked to all government hospitals, health centres and dispensaries of the Ludhiana district.
Speaking about the app, the DC said the expecting mothers would also get reminders about these tests, check-ups and vaccinations during the time of pregnancy. “It will keep sending reminders till the time the expectant mother gets her tests done, gets immunised or takes medicine,” he said.
He said although the locations of only Ludhiana district have been fed in the app, the mobile app can be used pan India. He said for using this mobile app, users doesn’t need the internet, repeated sign in or registration. The internet would only be required for using the GPS maps for locations of the government health centres, dispensaries and hospitals nearby.
All-women team behind its development
The mobile app was developed by a group of women under the supervision of ADC (Development) Apneet Riyait. The district administration leveraged the capabilities of IT firm 01 Synergy, having office in the city. The execution of the ideas was done by the IT firm under its CSR. Prabhneet Chandhoke, CEO, 01 Synergy, said: “The female team has been pegging away to make this idea a reality.
The difference it can make
DC Ravi Bhagat said the mobile app would help in getting the number of deaths during pregnancy or at the time of delivery.
He said the maternal mortality in India was still 26/1000, which was a cause of concern. The major reason for the deaths was that women don’t take proper care regarding immunisation, tests, medicines and diet during pregnancy. This causes deficiency of iron, blood, blood pressure and problems. He said this app would also send advance reminders about user’s delivery date so that she can get admitted to a hospital on time. Vini Mahajan, said the app was not only important for bringing down the maternal mortality, it was also important for the good health of the newborn, and thus would contribute in ensuring the good health of mother and child.
