“Our collaborator David Conroy conducted a study that successfully used smart water bottles to promote fluid intake in people with kidney stones. That led us to consider this approach in pregnant women as well,” Downs said. “The results of both that study and this research suggest that smart water bottles may be an effective way to promote water intake in pregnant women.”

Pauley said she was also optimistic.

“People love the Stanley Cup craze,” Pauley said. “A smart water bottle could be seen as a novel and fun way to increase fluid intake. The pregnant women in our study were very open to the idea.”

Although it is known that maternal insufficient hydration can negatively impact fetal growth, little data exists on the specific risks to pregnant women when they fail to meet hydration guidelines. The current research is part of Downs’ larger Healthy Mom Zone study, which is developing a personalized, digital intervention that adapts to the needs of each pregnant woman.

Downs said the Healthy Mom Zone team plans to measure the impact of hydration on maternal and fetal health in a future study.

“The United States has the highest birth morbidity and mortality of any high-income country in the world,” Downs said. “We are developing tools that will help us better understand why this is the case and develop strategies to close important gaps to improve birth outcomes for women and infants.”

Pauley and Downs said the interdisciplinary research team — with experts from the social and behavioral sciences — made this study possible. In addition to Pauley and Downs’ expertise in behavioral interventions and pregnancy, Asher Rosinger, associate professor of biobehavioral health at Penn State, provided expertise on human water consumption and needs. Jennifer Savage Williams, professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and director of the Penn State Center for Childhood Obesity Research, provided expertise on behavioral and individual factors that influence food intake. David Conroy, professor of kinesiology and of human development and family studies at Penn State, provided expertise on the use and application of the smart water bottle.

This research was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.