Design and Feasibility of an Artificial Intelligence Enabled mHealth System for Maternal and Child Health Monitoring in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Maternal and child healthcare in Sri Lanka continues to face challenges such as missed clinic appointments, delayed immunizations, inadequate follow-up, and reliance on paper-based health records. Mobile health (mHealth) applications have shown potential to address these issues, and recent literature suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) features such as automated reminders, predictive alerts, and digital health records can further strengthen healthcare monitoring. This study is exploratory and survey-based and does not involve the implementation or experimental evaluation of an AI system. A review of existing local and international literature is first used to identify how mHealth and AI-enabled features have been applied to maternal and child healthcare in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting reported benefits as well as challenges related to privacy, digital literacy, and infrastructure. The current study then presents findings from a survey conducted among parents, healthcare professionals, and the general public in Sri Lanka. The survey explores current healthcare practices, mobile phone usage, and user perceptions toward AI-supported mHealth solutions. The results indicate high smartphone usage and a positive attitude toward digital reminders, centralized digital health records, and intelligent follow-up tools. Finally, this study provides ideas for creating an efficient maternal and child health monitoring system appropriate for Sri Lanka’s healthcare environment and emphasizes the necessity for context-specific, user-friendly AI-driven mobile tools.