Use of a Mobile App to Capture Supplemental Health Information During Pregnancy: Implications for Clinical Research

Mobile applications (“apps”) may be efficient tools for improving the quality of clinical research among pregnant women, but evidence is sparse. We assess the feasibility and generalizability of a mobile app for capturing supplemental data during pregnancy.

In 2017, we conducted a pilot study of the FDA MyStudies mobile app within a pregnant population identified through Kaiser Permanente Washington (KPWA), an integrated healthcare delivery system. We ascertained health conditions, medications, and substance use through app-based questionnaires. In a post-hoc analysis, we utilized electronic health records (EHR) to summarize sociodemographic and health characteristics of pilot participants and, for comparison, a pregnant population identified using similar methods.