[Prevention of Perinatal Depression and Child Abuse] Analysis of "High-Risk Consultations" and "Information Linkage with Municipalities" Among Pregnant Women and Mothers Based on 170,000 Online Medical Consultation Data

Kids Public Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Naoya Hashimoto) conducted a retrospective analysis of approximately 170,000 consultation data points received by our "Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" service from April 2021 to March 2025, in collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Nippon Medical School Hospital. This study investigated the actual situation of "high-risk consultations" among pregnant women and mothers during the perinatal period and "information linkage with municipalities."

The analysis revealed that approximately 1% of all users showed high-risk signs requiring linkage with municipalities, such as suspected perinatal depression or abuse. Furthermore, among the cases actually linked with municipalities, only 30% had received prior intervention from the municipality. This suggests that online consultations function as a crucial safety net, detecting "hidden SOS" signals that may not reach administrative bodies.

These research findings were presented by Daisuke Shigemori, representative of Obstetrics and Gynecology Online, at the "78th Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology" held on May 17, 2026. This report, utilizing Japan's largest-scale real-world data, indicates that parallel online support is effective in the early detection of "isolated parenting" and "hidden high-risk individuals" after six months postpartum, potentially contributing to the prevention of perinatal depression and child abuse.

◼︎ Background and Social Needs

In recent years, the increasing prevalence of nuclear families and the weakening of community ties have led to a rise in pregnant women and mothers who face anxiety and burdens alone due to a lack of nearby support. However, various challenges have emerged, including individuals who do not or cannot receive medical attention for certain reasons during pregnancy, and cases where postpartum check-ups conclude after one month, leaving mothers without follow-up from municipal specialists. Consequently, the increase in postpartum depression and child abuse has become a social issue, making the establishment of a seamless prenatal and postnatal support system to protect the physical and mental health of pregnant women and mothers an urgent necessity.

Amidst this situation, "online health and medical consultation services (remote health and medical consultation)" that provide easy access to specialists via smartphones and other devices are becoming more widespread as a new safety net. However, the actual extent of "high-risk consultations" in online services, and the specific details and data on how these consultations connect with and are coordinated with local municipalities and administrative bodies, have remained largely unclear in Japan until now.

◼︎ Research Outcomes and Novelty/Originality

This study retrospectively analyzed 176,966 consultation records (from 37,722 consultation users) received by "Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" between April 2021 and March 2025.

【Highlights of Key Research Findings】

◯ Approximately 1% of Consultations Involved High-Risk Conditions Requiring Municipal Linkage

Pregnant women and mothers in high-risk conditions considered for municipal linkage: 331 individuals (0.88%)

Pregnant women and mothers actually linked with municipalities: 99 individuals (0.26%)

While these figures may seem small at first glance, they demonstrate that online consultations reliably capture a certain proportion of high-risk individuals who are otherwise difficult to identify. This represents a success in effectively reaching out to and supporting individuals experiencing severe prenatal or postnatal anxiety and physical/mental distress through the touchpoint of online consultations.

◯ Over 80% of Those Considered for Linkage Were Postpartum, Primarily Due to Mental Health Issues

Of those considered for municipal linkage, 16% were during pregnancy and 84% were postpartum.

The primary reason for considering linkage was "parental mental health issues." Approximately 40% of individuals considered for municipal linkage showed signs of "perinatal depression," and about 10% raised concerns of "child abuse."

Notably, nearly half of the cases linked with municipalities occurred six months or more after childbirth.

◯ "Consultation with a Midwife" Was the Most Frequent Trigger for Discovery

Among the consultation users requiring municipal linkage, approximately 70% were prompted by consultations with a midwife. This suggests that midwives may be more approachable than doctors for issues related to mental distress and parenting anxiety.

◯ 70% of High-Risk Cases Linked to Municipalities Had "No Proactive Intervention from Authorities"

In 70% of cases actually linked with municipalities, there had been no prior intervention by the municipality. These were pregnant women and mothers not identified by municipal staff or who did not receive proactive intervention, highlighting the crucial role of online health and medical consultations in promptly identifying SOS signals from residents that local authorities had not detected. (Cases of linkage include notifications and collaborations with child consultation centers in accordance with laws and regulations.)

◯ Effectiveness of Parallel Support Combining In-Person and Online Services

Even after being linked to municipalities and transitioning to local in-person support, 86% of consultation users continued to utilize the online health and medical consultation service. Cases where the relationship was severed after municipal linkage were few, suggesting the effectiveness of combining "local in-person support" provided by municipalities with "parallel online support" that allows connection with specialists anytime, anywhere.

◼︎ Future Prospects and Social Significance

These research results underscore that online health and medical consultation services, offering access to specialists (obstetricians, pediatricians, midwives) anytime and anywhere, can serve as a powerful safety net during the prenatal and postnatal periods.

The findings suggest that online medical consultations can play a significant role as ongoing support not only immediately after childbirth but also in the period "after six months postpartum," when public support from municipalities may be less accessible.

In our daily consultation responses, when individuals are identified as potentially at risk for perinatal depression or child abuse, multiple medical professionals within our company conduct a multifaceted review and assessment of the situation's severity and urgency. Based on this, we link information with the relevant municipality at an appropriate speed according to the urgency of each case, facilitating prompt local in-person support.

Kids Public Co., Ltd. aims to become a "social infrastructure" and provides services to numerous municipalities and corporations through a BtoBtoC model. Our company includes many medical professionals such as obstetricians, pediatricians, and midwives who are involved in our operations. Based on research data and evidence like this, we will further strengthen and update our unique municipal linkage functions concerning local residents in high-risk situations.

While "Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics Online" has already reported evidence of reducing the risk of postpartum depression through randomized controlled trials and their follow-up studies (References 1, 2), we will continue to contribute to building a "seamless support system" that protects the physical and mental health of the child-rearing generation as a whole society, by more accurately catching the SOS signals of pregnant women, mothers, and children, and closely collaborating with local public health nurses and other professionals.

About Kids Public

【Mission】

To protect and improve the health of individuals throughout their growth process.

Kids Public contributes to people during their growth process, which encompasses the stages from pregnancy, fetal development, newborn period, infancy, childhood, to adolescence, until adulthood. We define health as a state of well-being that is not only physical but also social and mental. Kids Public's mission is to view this growth process as a continuum, protect the physical and mental health of individuals and those involved in their care during this process, and contribute to its improvement.

【History】

Founded in 2015 by Naoya Hashimoto, a pediatrician. In May 2016, "Pediatrics Online" was launched as an online remote health and medical consultation service. In 2017, Daisuke Shigemori, an obstetrician and gynecologist, joined, leading to the launch of "Obstetrics and Gynecology Online" the following year, and the operation of "Midwife Consultation During Daytime" in 2023.

【Services Offered】

We offer a wide range of consultation services, including "Always Consult," which allows text-based consultations with medical professionals 24/7, "Nighttime Consultation," which provides 10-minute video calls with medical professionals, and "Everyone's Consultation Search," where users can search over 40,000 consultation cases and answers created by doctors and midwives.

【Implementation Record】

Adopted by over 240 municipalities nationwide, as well as corporations and health insurance societies.

【Company Overview】

Company Name: Kids Public Co., Ltd.

Location: SK Midoricho Building 5F, 11-8 Kanda Nishimiyochō, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Representative: Naoya Hashimoto

Established: 2015

Number of Employees: 35 (as of December 2025)

Number of Affiliated Medical Professionals: 267 (as of December 2025)

URL: https://kids-public.co.jp/

【References】

1. Arakawa Y, et al. BMC Med. 2023 Jun 26;21(1):221.

2. Arakawa Y, et al. Psychol Med. 2025 Dec 19;55:e379.