The impact of interactive text communication on neonatal mortality in Kenya: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Text communication between newborns’ caregivers and healthcare workers allows for real-time decisional guidance; however, its impact on neonatal health outcomes is unknown. Mobile WACh NEO (MWACh NEO) was a parallel, unblinded and individually randomized controlled trial at six health facilities across Kenya. Pregnant women at 28–36 weeks gestation were randomized (1:1) to the MWACh NEO intervention or standard of care. MWACh NEO delivered automated maternal and neonatal health text messages to participants up to 6 weeks postpartum and allowed free text communication with a nurse. This trial sought to determine if text communication decreased neonatal mortality. The analysis was intention to treat. From September 2020 until June 2022, 5,020 participants were enrolled and randomized. One hundred and thirty-six participants were excluded because of incomplete mortality data, leaving 2,442 participants in each group for the analysis. Eighty-three neonatal deaths occurred for a neonatal mortality rate of 18.8 per 1,000 live births in the intervention group and 15.2 per 1,000 live births in the control group, with a risk ratio of 1.25 (0.81, 1.91), P = 0.31. No adverse events related to the intervention were reported. Text communication did not decrease neonatal mortality compared to standard of care. Most neonates died before discharge from the facility. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT04598165.