In light of our post on J-PAL and the group’s use of randomized control trials (RCTs) to test behavioral and community-based maternal health solutions, we decided to update our readers on how more traditional, clinical RCTs are dealing with the subject of postpartum hemorrhage. What interventions have recently been shown effective in lower-income countries? What potential solutions are currently being tested that keep low-resource settings in mind?

This post covers the promise of mhealth and the interesting local additions that complement new technology with old school modes of communication.

There are currently over 5 billion mobile phone subscribers worldwide, and 1 billion of these people are women in low- and middle-income countries. The UN even estimates that by 2012, half the people living in remote areas will have access to a mobile device. The ubiquity of mobile networks and devices in the developing world provides an unprecedented opportunity to directly connect people—particularly new and expectant mothers—with critical, time-specific health information.