A SMS-based pregnancy support service in the Indian state of Gujarat has contributed to a reduction in infant mortality, according to a report on livemint.com. The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM)  and the Gujarat government launched its e-Mamta system for tracking mothers and children in May 2010.  The mortality rate improved from 48 in every 1,000 births (presumably in 2010 but not specificed in the article) to 44 by 2011. The aim is to further reduce the infant mortality rate to 30 in every 1,000 births by 2015, says the article.

Health workers underpinned the initiative by conducting a major family health survey across the state of about 920,000 families covering 45 million beneficiaries, which represents 80 per cent of the state’s population, according to the article. The data collected was entered in an information system which was then accessed for the e-Mamta service. The Union ministry of health and family welfare have started to introduce the same service in other states and Union territories.

The service was profiled by livemint.com for the MBillionths Award in which it is itself involved.