Table 1 Descriptive review of RCT relevant studies on the effect of SMSon pregnant women’s health care services uptake

Jareethum et al. 2008 [57]

Thailand

Pregnant women / Size: Intervention: 32, Control: 29

Text messaging: twice weekly

routine ANC and advice

Maternal satisfaction

Satisfaction scores of antenatal and perinatal periods were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control

Lund et al.,2012 [55]

Zanzibar:

Intervension;1311 Control;1239

Mobile phone text-message, twice a week

routine ANC and advice

Primary outcome: skilled attendance at delivery

The mobile phone intervention significantly

Increased skilled delivery attendance among pregnant women (OR: 1.69(1.44–1.98)).

T.Fedha,2014 [64]

Kenya

Intervension:191 Control:206

reminded every fortnightly of the next visit to the clinic and given advice on pregnancy updates and advice

Allowed to continue with routine clinics with no mobile advice or updates support

Primary outcome: FANC

Secondary outcome: skilled birth attendance

mobile telephone service for pregnant mother enhance maternal health care ANC visits (OR: 2.89(1.51–5.53))and skilled birth attendance(OR: 2.73(1.60–4.65))

Lau et al. 2014 [59]

South Africa

Size: Intervention: 102, Control: 104

Text messaging: staggered according to the week of pregnancy

routine ANC and advice

To compare the control and intervention group’s knowledge

No statistically significant difference in score in any of the 9 questions between the intervention and control

Lund et al.,2014 [56]

Zanzibar:

Intervension;1311 Control;1239

Mobile phone text-message

routine ANC and advice

Primary outcome: FANC visits -secondary outcome: tetanus vaccination, other preventive services for malaria, etc.

In the Intervention group 44% of the women received four or more antenatal care visits versus 31% in the control group.

Atnafu, 2017 [58]

Ethiopia

Size; Intervention: 1080, Control: 1080

SMS based mobile phone intervention in most of the selected MCH service indicators

No SMS

role of mobile phone SMS MCH outcomes

The proportion of mothers receiving more than four ANC visits increased significantly (increased from 5.21% at baseline to 29.75%).

Bangal VB et al. 2017 [54]

India

Intervention: 200 Control: 200

Mobile phone calls, as reminders about next visit and text messages (SMS)

Control group: women received routine ANC and advice as per hospital protocol.

percentage of pregnant women coming for FANC, percentage of institutional delivery and postnatal check-ups.

Mobile phone intervention significantly increased the percentage of women receiving the recommended four antenatal visits (OR:4.4(2.86–6.77)) and non-significant effect on SBA (OR: 1.33(0.68–259)).