Local innovators develop app for expectant Yukon parents

The future looks brighter for Yukon babies thanks to a new phone Application (App) released this week in both the Apple and Android App stores. The Yukon Baby App provides information to expectant mothers and fathers to improve the health outcomes of newborn babies.

The Yukon Baby App was conceived at the Hacking Health event in spring of 2014 by a team of health-care providers, programmers and a designer. They then pitched their idea to Technology Innovation (TI) of the Yukon Research Centre, whose support led to Yukon Baby Inc. developing the App with funding support from both TI and Government of Yukon.

“This Yukon-made App has been developed to benefit Yukoners and their families”, said Dr. Karen Barnes, President & Vice Chancellor, Yukon College. “Our Technology Innovation team is here to support Yukon innovations from idea to product development and to improve the lives of Northerners.”

Yukon Baby provides resources for parents on topics ranging from nutrition in pregnancy to how to help soothe a crying baby. The App is a tool that can be used to help provide reliable information to expectant parents, supporting the best outcomes for their child.

“Our App will provide Yukon parents-to-be with locally relevant and unbiased information and resources. It will be useful for our patients and their families as well as our colleagues,” said Dr. Chris Naylor, Family Physician, Whitehorse, Yukon.

Yukoners can now download the free App on their smart phones and have instant access to information that will support their pregnancy. It also includes a depression screen and some post-partum information, including breastfeeding support information.

“Our government is committed to supporting healthy families,” said Minister of Health and Social Services, Mike Nixon. “We recognize that a child’s health is affected before birth by the activities and behaviour of their parents, and we are pleased to support this tool for expectant parents in Whitehorse and other Yukon communities.”

The Yukon Baby App will be formally launched at noon on Thursday, February 18th in the Pit at Yukon College. The App will be presented to the public with Minister of Health and Social Services, Mike Nixon, Dr. Chris Naylor, and other health care officials in attendance.

For more information on this project, please visit our website.

This App is supported by Yukon government’s Health and Social Services department, Partners for Children of Yukon College, and Northwestel. It is funded by Technology Innovation, Government of Yukon, and the Partenariat communauté en santé.

Technology Innovation is one of seven key programs that operate under the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College. The others include: Biodiversity Monitoring, Cold Climate Innovation, Northern Climate ExChange, NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Mine Life Cycle, Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic, and Science Adventures.