A new national health initiative aims to keep expectant moms on track for a healthy pregnancy through nuggets of advice via text message.

As Meredith Cohn reported in The Sun yesterday, text4baby aims to cut down on the high number of premature births both across the country and in Maryland, with free messages about all things pregnancy, from tips on good nutrition to how to find a health care provider. The program, sponsored by the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, has already rolled out in Maryland with more than 18,000 women signed up so far.

Lack of prenatal care is one of the leading causes for bad birth outcomes. Both Baltimore and Maryland have rates of premature births above the national average. Much of this can be prevented, advocates say, by better informing moms-to-be.

Texting is getting huge in medical circles, with doctors offices using messages as reminders for appointments and taking medication. Not adhering to medical advice is one of the biggest causes of poor outcomes in many chronic health problems, this NY Times article explains.

Up until recently, I thought texting was just for "the kids" -- teenagers with lightening-fast thumb reflexes who seem far better at electronic multitasking than I. But these days, my coordination is improving and I text a lot more than I used to. With some 90 percent of people in the U.S. with cell phones, sending 1.5 trillion texts a year, it makes sense that the medical community would tap into this quick, easy tool to keep patients informed.

Does your doctor text? Would you use text messaging for health purposes?

Baltimore Sun photo