Effectiveness of Mobile Applications for Promoting Healthy and Active Lifestyles During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: A Systematic Review.

Background

Pregnancy and the postpartum period are unique stages in a woman's life, characterised by profound physiological, psychological, and social changes that require continuous adaptation. During these periods, women frequently seek reliable health information to support healthy behaviours and informed decision-making. Advances in information and communication technologies have facilitated rapid and convenient access to health-related information through smartphones, tablets, and other digital devices, making mHealth applications increasingly popular as tools to support maternal health.

Objective

This systematic review aimed to analyse the effectiveness of mHealth applications in promoting healthy and active lifestyles during pregnancy and the postpartum period. A secondary objective was to identify the key characteristics and functionalities associated with effective mHealth applications.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO) covering publications from 2016 to 2025. Studies were eligible if they included pregnant or postpartum women, evaluated mHealth applications designed to promote healthy and active lifestyles, and compared women using these applications with those receiving usual care, traditional information resources, or no intervention. Outcomes included improvements in physical activity, healthy eating behaviours, sleep quality, and stress management. Only registered or protocol-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist.

Results

Twenty RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The mean methodological quality score was 20.00 ± 1.45. Eighteen perinatal mHealth applications were identified, of which 16 demonstrated effectiveness according to the predefined clinical and/or behavioural outcomes evaluated in the respective interventions. Among the effective applications, the most frequently reported functionalities were health education, followed by personalisation, self-monitoring, feedback, and interaction with healthcare professionals. Regarding app characteristics, information quality was the most frequently identified feature, followed by clinical appropriateness, usability, accessibility, and data security and privacy.

Conclusions

Among the applications classified as effective, high-quality health information, clinical appropriateness, data security and privacy, and functionalities such as health education, interaction with healthcare professionals, self-monitoring, personalized feedback, and personalization were frequently observed. Nevertheless, further improvements are needed in the quality of health information, data security and privacy, and the integration of communication with healthcare professionals to maximise the effectiveness of mHealth applications designed for pregnancy and the postpartum period.