Pregnant women in Kamloops now have access to prenatal education programs on their cellphones.

Interior Health launched the free program today, called “SmartMom.”

Project manager Nancy Delgado says the program will complement existing prenatal classes.

“They’ll be asked to enter their gestational age, that’s how many weeks pregnant they are, and they’ll receive text messages up to three times a week, with the option for times and dates that work best. And the messages will help guide pregnant women through their pregnancy and include topics to discuss with their caregiver,” Delgado says.

She says only one-third of women in Canada attend prenatal education classes, and she says that number is less in rural areas.

“By offering SmartMom, we’re now able to offer consistent, evidence-based prenatal education for moms-to-be across Interior Health.”

Delgado says about 6,000 women give birth each year within the Interior Health Authority.