**7. Digital health in health and maternal care**

Digital health is a comprehensive category entailing mobile health, electronic health, and telehealth and health data. It strengthens health systems through bringing such services directly to their homes and unprivileged communities; further map illness outbreaks and digital tool integration to make health care to be more productive and approachable [38]. Over the past 20 years, digital health technology has been splendidly growing to improve health and maternal health. Furthermore, the digital health technologies vary some are client-focused meaning they provide women enhanced capabilities to raise their health and risk consciousness, self-participated monitoring and management in preconception, antenatal and postnatal period. In addition, provides awareness of any pregnancy-related complications such as pre-eclampsia and treatment as well as lifestyle and health choices [39].

While some digital health technologies are provider-focused digital health technologies; they enable substantial management of obstetric complications during primary consultation, admission and referral process. Telemedicine and telecare are the common examples of digital systems that encompass access to specialist services behind the limitations of the clinic. In addition, the systems are developed for healthcare professionals and introduced into the high-risk patients, i.e. pre-eclampsia women [39]. Digital health innovations are not the replacements for the health system in place, however, they empower and enhance the components of the health systems to make an informed decisions and optimise health outcomes [40]. The national department of health (NDoH) on the national digital health strategy for South Africa for 2019–2024 (NDHSSA) substantiated that digital enable support for

*Utilisation of Digital Health in Early Detection and Treatment of Pre-Eclampsia in Primary… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.101228*

health sectors for a health life for the population through health systems strengthening to enable service delivery. Moreover, further enables effective patient care and personal empowerment needed to achieve universal health coverage (UHC), [41]. A case study to improve maternal health through digital health using mobile technology indicated that maternal mortality remains a burden across SSA. Corroborated that mobile communication encourage the provision of fast and accessible care. Moreover, it was found that digital health through mobile devices increase workplace efficiency and enable faster decision making amongst health care providers (HCP) [42].

In South Africa the public health system distorted to more comprehensive and cohesive health systems [43]. The use of public health services across the scale of care was highest in SSA. Approximately 94% of pregnant women attended ANC and 76% attended the recommended ANC visits showing active utilisation of such services to achieve the MDG 5. However, this use of public services was linked to digital health initiatives such as mom connect [43].
