The Role of Antenatal Care Referral Apps in Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates in South African Townships: A Scoping Study from 2008 to 2008

Antenatal care (ANC) is crucial for maternal health in South African townships, where access and adherence to ANC services can significantly impact maternal mortality rates. A scoping study was conducted using data from to , focusing on ANC service utilization patterns and app usage frequency within selected townships. Data were collected through surveys and secondary sources such as local health records and app usage logs. The analysis revealed that antenatal care referral apps had a moderate positive impact on improving the timely access to ANC services (35% increase in referrals), although adherence remained inconsistent with varying proportions of users engaging actively. Antenatal care referral apps showed promise in facilitating better access to essential maternal healthcare, though further research is needed to enhance their efficacy and sustainability. Implementing more targeted educational campaigns aimed at increasing app awareness and usage among pregnant women could potentially lead to increased adherence and improved outcomes. Antenatal Care, Maternal Mortality Rates, Apps, South Africa Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.