A Data Descriptor for the MomConnect SMS Platform and Antenatal Care Attendance Among Pregnant Adolescents in Buffalo City, South Africa

Pregnant adolescents in South Africa face significant barriers to accessing antenatal care (ANC), which contributes to poorer maternal and neonatal outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions, like the national MomConnect SMS platform, aim to improve health service engagement. Their specific effect on adolescent ANC attendance requires further investigation. This data descriptor presents a curated dataset to evaluate the association between enrolment in the MomConnect SMS platform and ANC attendance among pregnant adolescents in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Its objective is to enable secondary analysis of this relationship and related health-seeking behaviours. A retrospective cohort dataset was constructed by linking anonymised individual-level records from the MomConnect platform with public health facility ANC attendance data for pregnant adolescents. Processes for data cleaning, validation, and integration are documented. The dataset includes variables on demographics, enrolment status, SMS interaction logs, and ANC visit timing and frequency. Analysis of the dataset indicates a positive association between MomConnect enrolment and improved ANC attendance metrics in this adolescent cohort. A key descriptive finding is that enrolled adolescents were approximately 30% more likely to attend the recommended four or more ANC visits than non-enrolled adolescents. This curated dataset is a resource for researchers examining mHealth interventions and adolescent maternal health in South Africa. It allows for robust analysis of the MomConnect platform’s role in supporting ANC adherence among a vulnerable group. Further research using this dataset is recommended to explore causal mechanisms, content engagement, and effect variations across adolescent subgroups. Established data sharing protocols should be maintained to support continued public health evaluation. mHealth, adolescent pregnancy, antenatal care, South Africa, data linkage, maternal health, SMS reminders, health systems This data descriptor documents the creation and structure of a novel linked dataset for analysing the MomConnect platform’s association with antenatal care attendance among pregnant adolescents.