Mother and Child Health Handbook App 'Boshi-mo' Launches in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture!

The mother and child health handbook app 'Boshi-mo', operated by Boshi-mo Co., Ltd., has been officially adopted by Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture, and will be provided as the 'Electronic Mother and Child Health Handbook Ushiku Smile App' starting July 1 (Wed).

Ushiku City is implementing various childcare support measures with the aim of creating a community where children are warmly watched over by the entire community, parents are supported, and children and parents alike can grow together within the community.

'Boshi-mo', which allows digital recording of data from paper mother and child health handbooks and is used in over 880 municipalities, has been adopted. The service will commence operations in line with the Digital Agency's policy to promote the use of electronic mother and child health handbooks and maternal and child health DX (digital transformation)※1.

In addition, the 'Childcare DX®'※2 digital support service for municipal childcare-related projects, which is available as an additional feature of 'Boshi-mo', will also offer 'supportive consultation services' and 'online reservation services'. Through the app, users can make reservations for consultations regarding childcare (Smile Consultation) and various classes (Sunday Family Class, 1-Day Maternity Seminar, Welcome Baby Class), including interviews at the time of pregnancy registration and around the 8th month of pregnancy.

◆'Boshi-mo' Launches in Ushiku City, Ibaraki Prefecture, with Enhanced Initiatives to Deepen Parent-Child Bonds!

Ushiku City promotes various initiatives to enrich parent-child time under the brand message 'Parent-Child Special Zone!! Ushiku'.

As part of these efforts, in its congratulatory gift for childbirth initiative, the city celebrates the new beginnings of parents and children through local culture by presenting families with a newborn child with specially labeled wine from the winery 'Ushiku Chateau', a designated Important Cultural Property of Japan, or grape juice, featuring a photo of the child.

Furthermore, the city operates 'Parent-Child Future Post', where residents can freely post about what helped them while raising children in Ushiku City, what they wish to see improved, and what they want to share with the people of the city. The collected posts are utilized to review support systems and consider new policies, contributing to the realization of a 'community where parents and children can grow together'.

To enable childcare households to utilize the city's initiatives more conveniently, the mother and child health handbook app 'Boshi-mo' is being introduced, along with the 'supportive consultation services' and 'online reservation services' to reduce the burden on residents and improve the work efficiency of staff.

◆Comprehensive Support for Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Child-rearing with a Community-Focused Childcare App!

'Electronic Mother and Child Health Handbook Ushiku Smile App', adopted by Ushiku City, is a service compatible with smartphones, tablets, and PCs. It is equipped with convenient features to assist busy mothers and fathers juggling childcare and work, including recording and managing health data for pregnant women, mothers, and children, managing vaccination schedules, providing advice on childbirth and childcare, a sharing function with family members such as grandparents living in distant areas, and notifications of local information distributed by the city.

Additionally, the 'supportive consultation service' will be used for booking interviews at the time of pregnancy registration and around the 8th month of pregnancy, while the 'online reservation service' will be used for booking childcare consultations (Smile Consultation) and various classes (Sunday Family Class, 1-Day Maternity Seminar, Welcome Baby Class). This allows users to make various reservations 24 hours a day from anywhere through the app, from the pregnancy period when they are busy and their physical condition may be unstable, to the childcare period, thus reducing the burden of procedures. Online procedures also enable municipal staff to confirm application information in advance, leading to improved operational efficiency.

The city will continue to promote the creation of a convenient, safe, and secure childcare environment by developing systems that allow for easier procedures and providing seamless, personalized support, thereby alleviating the burdens and anxieties of childcare households.

<Main Features of the 'Electronic Mother and Child Health Handbook Ushiku Smile App'>

[Information on Various Systems and Services Provided by the Municipality]

● Various announcements distributed by the municipality

● Reservations for interviews at the time of pregnancy registration and around the 8th month of pregnancy, childcare consultations (Smile Consultation), and various classes (Sunday Family Class, 1-Day Maternity Seminar, Welcome Baby Class)

[Recording and Management]

● Recording of physical condition and weight during pregnancy (with graphs)

● Recording of fetal and child growth (with graphs)

● Confirmation of obesity and underweight status using height-weight curves (with graphs)

● Vaccinations: Automatic display of standard vaccination dates, management of scheduled and actual vaccinations, alerts for missed vaccinations

● Health check-up information: Recording of health check-up data for pregnant women and children

[Information Provision and Advice]

● Basic information on childbirth and childcare

● Knowledge and advice tailored to pregnancy week and child's age

● Information on nearby facilities (hospitals, kindergartens/nurseries, childcare facilities, etc.)

[Child-rearing Diary: 'Dekiyota Kinenbi' (Anniversary of Accomplishment)]

● Record child's growth along with photos

● Upload photos with date and text using 'First Anniversary Templates' for milestones (e.g., first fetal movement/kick/roll over/sit up/crawl/stand up/walk, etc., with records for approximately 150 items)

[Data Sharing]

● Child growth records and health data can be viewed on family members' smartphones and posted on social media.

Our company's vision is to achieve zero friction coefficient in pregnancy and childcare. To this end, we are expanding and integrating our support areas (maternal and child health check-ups, vaccinations, infant health check-ups, etc.) through 'Childcare DX®'※2, developing a one-stop system for all applications and procedures related to childcare, and promoting the sharing of maternal and child health information with related organizations (medical, childcare/education, specialized institutions, etc.). Through these efforts, we aim to reduce parents' 'anxiety and burden' and co-create a 'secure and convenient' childcare society with the community.

Service Name: Electronic Mother and Child Health Handbook Ushiku Smile App Monthly Fee (Tax Included): Free Access Method

- App: Search for 'Boshi-mo' on the App Store or Google Play (Supported OS: Android 8.0 or later, iOS 15.0 or later) - Web Browser: Access https://www.mchh.jp

※ Although individuals residing outside the target municipalities can also use the service, please check the official website for information specific to your municipality. ※ The functions available may vary slightly depending on your municipality of residence.

※1: 'Initiatives Policy for Promoting Kodomo Policy DX 2025 Reference Materials Collection' on the website of the Children and Families Agency

https://www.cfa.go.jp/assets/contents/node/basic_page/field_ref_resources/6cfab22c-d2bf-4dd1-81ea-49308519ac3a/6f948f38/20250630_councils_kodomo_seisaku_DX_6cfab22c_08.pdf

※2: For details on the 'Childcare DX®' service, click here: https://www.mchh.jp/boshimo-kosodatedx

※ 'Childcare DX' is a registered trademark of Boshi-mo Co., Ltd.

※ Google Play and Android are trademarks or registered trademarks of Google LLC.

※ App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

※ iOS is the OS name of Apple Inc. iOS is a trademark or registered trademark of Cisco Systems, Inc. or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and is used under license.