Mobile Health Apps in Reducing Anxiety Among Pregnant Women in South Africa: A Longitudinal Study

Pregnancy is a critical period for women's mental health, often associated with increased anxiety levels. In South Africa, where healthcare access can be limited, there is an unmet need for effective interventions to support pregnant women. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including surveys and interviews. Data were collected from a representative sample of 500 pregnant women across different regions of South Africa. Mobile health app users reported significant reductions in anxiety levels compared to non-users (p < 0.01), with an average reduction of 25% over the study period. The longitudinal study supports the use of mobile health apps as a viable and effective strategy for reducing anxiety among pregnant women in South Africa. Further research should be conducted to explore the long-term effects and potential integration into existing healthcare systems. Treatment effect was estimated with logit(pᵢ)=β₀+β^ Xᵢ, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.