MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name

Mommacare

One-line solution summary.

Mommacare helps save mothers from deaths and depression brought about at the post natal stage.

Elevator pitch

—

What is your solution?

The postnatal period is the most critical and yet the most neglected phase in the lives of mothers and babies. Most maternal and newborn deaths occur during this period. The Mommacare project is a Smartphone app that helps guide new moms by guiding them through this important time, helping to save their and their babies’ health and lives. We use a personalized, evidence-based, week-by-week guide to childbirth recovery and postpartum health. The app’s content is personalized, supportive and evidence-based. It covers topics such as postpartum mental health, breastfeeding, thyroid health, pelvic floor conditions, and many more. The weeks following birth are a critical period for a woman and her infant, setting the stage for long-term health and well-being. During this period, a woman is adapting to multiple physical, social, and psychological changes. She is recovering from childbirth, adjusting to changing hormones, and learning to feed and care for her newborn

What specific problem are you trying to solve?

The problem we are solving is postnatal stress, depression and mental health issues associated with the post natal stage. In rural areas you g mother's have no access to the right information and this increases 7/10 mothers die due to post natal related problems.

Who does your solution serve? In what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Ee are serving young first time mother's, young teenage mother's victims of early childhood pregnancies and first time father's. They lack access to proper information and stress relieving measures at post Natal stage. The solution by the help of the mommacare app accommodates features that includes the right kind of meditation and nutrition for a nursing mother.

What steps have you taken to understand the needs of the population you want to serve?

We are working with the Zambian government through the Ministry of health in incoperating this cause. We are only 3 months old in launching this project but it has attracted 500 women in rural areas were we are currently teaching them the features of the mommacare project.

Which aspects of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Improving healthcare access and health outcomes; and reducing and ultimately eliminating health disparities (Health)

Our solution's stage of development:

Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community

Explain why you selected this stage of development for your solution—in other words, what have you accomplished to date?

We are currently in Lusaka shibuyunji District. We are on the pilot stage because we have started carrying out the necessary training for the passed 3 months, we have viably tested our solution. We are working with mothers in the neighbouring community. This has brought a huge impact because our activities are recent but a good number of women are coming on board. We are currently working with 500 women who are our beneficiaries and an extra 350 who are full-time I'm into this program of spreading the awareness of the dangers of postnatal depression, stress and mental health problems related with the postnatal stage.

Where our solution team is headquartered or located:

Lusaka, Zambia

Team Lead:

Mwaka Malaika Sichintu