Lily Podder

The objective of the study was to review the midwifery guided mobile apps for labor advice, assessing features, functions, and content relevance. In February to March 2024, midwifery labor-guided applications were reviewed in mobile platforms such as the Google Play Store and Apple iTunes Store. We used multimodal evaluation tools, such as the mobile app rating scale (MARS), specific statements, and IQVIA ratings, to assess the quality of these applications. The study evaluated midwifery-guided applications, resulting in an average objective quality score of 3.96±0.96 out of 5. 'Safe delivery' scored the highest rating of 4.94, followed by 'Pregnancy mentor' (4.89), 'Hypno-birthing' (4.61), 'Obstetrics 6th edition' (4.68), and 'MSD manual guide to obstetrics' (4.56). Functionality received the highest score (4.16±0.865), followed by information (3.99±0.97), engagement (3.88±1.07), and aesthetics (3.82±0.28) areas. Subjective quality score was 3.6±1.18 out of 5 for an overall MARS score of 3.76±1.02. Most applications received favorable reviews, indicating good quality, and it is recommended that future app developers design applications that include comprehensive information on labor management.

Child mortality continues to pose a major public health challenge in South Asia, where under-five and neonatal mortality remain high, especially in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of India. Here, we synthesised evidence from 38 studies published between 2012 and 2024, examining predictors of mortality, barriers to effective nursing and midwifery interventions, and strategies to strengthen these roles. We identified four barrier domains: inadequate education and professional development, socio-cultural and gender constraints, infrastructure and resource shortages, and systemic policy challenges. Across several countries, over half of midwives lacked adequate pre-service training, more than 60% of facilities reported critical equipment shortages, and restrictive policies limited midwives' autonomy. Despite these challenges, community-based interventions and targeted policy reforms demonstrated measurable improvements, including up to 49% increases in institutional deliveries and reductions in neonatal mortality by 2-3 per 1000 live births. Strengthening midwifery and nursing capacity through competency-based education, investment in rural health systems, and culturally sensitive community engagement - guided by World Health Organization and International Confederation of Midwives frameworks - represents a feasible pathway for reducing preventable child deaths and advancing progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 3 in South Asia.