Communications giant AT&T, which was headquartered in St. Louis until 1992 and which still maintains offices here, announced yesterday that it is supporting a national movement to support healthy pregnancies. The program is a "broad mobile public-private partnership" which was announced yesterday by Aneesh Chopra, the Federal Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director of the White House's Office of Science and Technology. 

The free program is called "text4baby" and it's designed to provide pregnant couples and new parents with timely and helpful health information from the experts, from conception through the first year of baby's life.

CTIA, the International Association for the Wireless Telecommunications Industry, has teamed up with government and tribal agencies, several wireless carriers, academic institutions, professional associations, corporations and non-profit organizations to make the free program available nationwide.

To opt in, parents can text "BABY" to 511411. Spanish speaking parents can text "BEBE" to receive their text messages in Spanish. Free text messages will be sent weekly and are based on mom's due date (or baby's date of birth.) Messages will focus on a wide variety of topics relevant to the health of expectant moms and infants, including the following topics:

• Birth defects prevention
• Immunizations
• Nutrition
• Seasonal flu
• Mental health
• Oral health
• Safe sleep

Parents who use this service won't be charged by their wireless companies for messages sent by the text4baby program. The following wireless companies are currently participating:

• AT&T
• Assurance Wireless
• Boost Mobile
• Cellcom
• CellularSouth
• Centennial Cellular (now AT&T)
• Cincinnati Bell
• MetroPCS
• Ntelos
• Sprint Nextel Corporation
• T-Mobile USA
• U.S. Cellular
• Verizon Wireless
• Virgin Mobile, USA

Need more info? Check out the text4baby website for full program information.