Table 1.

Intervention inclusion and exclusion list based on 12 common applications and a visual framework (Labrique et al)²⁵

Common mHealth and ICT applications	Examples of mobile phone functions	Decision
Client education and behaviour-change communication	SMS MMS IVR Voice communication/audio clips Video clips Images	Included
Sensors and point-of-care diagnostics	Mobile phone camera Tethered accessory sensors, devices Built-in accelerometer SMS Voice communication Digital forms	Included if community members/patients participate in the diagnostic process.
Registries and vital events tracking	SMS Voice communication Digital forms	Included if community members/patients are responsible for data collection.
Electronic health records	SMS Digital forms Mobile web	Excluded
Data collection and reporting	Digital forms Voice communication	Excluded
Electronic decision support (information, protocols, algorithms, checklists)	Mobile web (WAP/GPRS) Stored information ‘apps’ IVR	Excluded
Provider-to-provider communication (user groups, consultation)	SMS MMS Mobile phone camera	Excluded
Provider work planning and scheduling Provider training and education	Interactive electronic client lists SMS alerts Mobile phone calendar	Included only if outcomes are related to community members/patients perceptions of maternal and reproductive health services as a consequence of an mHealth-based provider training and education intervention.
Human resource management	MMS IVR Voice communication Audio or video clips, images Web-based performance dashboards GPS Voice communication SMS	Excluded
Supply chain management	Web-based supply dashboards GPS Digital forms SMS	Excluded
Financial transactions and incentives	Mobile money transfers and banking services Transfer of airtime minutes	Included when patients/community members directly receive incentives as part of the mHealth intervention and maternal and reproductive health outcomes are reported.

GPRS, general packet radio service; GPS, global positioning service; ICT, information communication technology; IVR, interactive voice response; mHealth, mobile health; MMS, multimedia messaging service; SMS, short message service; WAP, wireless application protocol.