This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has given a large boost to telehealth, we know little about using this modality to provide antenatal care.
In a recent article in The Lancet, investigators compared perinatal outcomes associated with pre-pandemic conventional care and those associated with telehealth-integrated care.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, a large Australian health system that includes three maternity hospitals began to provide antenatal care for low- as well as high-risk pregnancies using telehealth.
During the telehealth months, all patients continued to have some face-to-face visits, with just under one half of antenatal services delivered in person. The great majority of telehealth visits were conducted using video calls.
Telehealth patients measured their blood pressure using automated monitors purchased by the health system.
Patients assessed fetal growth through self-measured symphyseal–fundal height beginning at 24 weeks of gestation. This approach has been found to yield similar measurements as assessment performed by clinicians.
The proportion of pregnancies found to have fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, macrosomia, or stillbirth was similar in the conventional and telehealth cohort births.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused telehealth care to be initiated in many settings worldwide. It is notable that among women receiving telehealth care in this Australian study, no cases of COVID-19 were identified.
COMMENTARY
Prenatal Care via Telehealth: Who Needs a Pandemic?
Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
DisclosuresJuly 29, 2021
This transcript has been edited for clarity.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has given a large boost to telehealth, we know little about using this modality to provide antenatal care.
In a recent article in The Lancet, investigators compared perinatal outcomes associated with pre-pandemic conventional care and those associated with telehealth-integrated care.
As the COVID-19 pandemic began, a large Australian health system that includes three maternity hospitals began to provide antenatal care for low- as well as high-risk pregnancies using telehealth.
During the telehealth months, all patients continued to have some face-to-face visits, with just under one half of antenatal services delivered in person. The great majority of telehealth visits were conducted using video calls.
Telehealth patients measured their blood pressure using automated monitors purchased by the health system.
Patients assessed fetal growth through self-measured symphyseal–fundal height beginning at 24 weeks of gestation. This approach has been found to yield similar measurements as assessment performed by clinicians.
The proportion of pregnancies found to have fetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, macrosomia, or stillbirth was similar in the conventional and telehealth cohort births.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused telehealth care to be initiated in many settings worldwide. It is notable that among women receiving telehealth care in this Australian study, no cases of COVID-19 were identified.
Medscape Ob/Gyn © 2021 WebMD, LLC
Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.
Cite this: Andrew M. Kaunitz. Prenatal Care via Telehealth: Who Needs a Pandemic? - Medscape - Jul 29, 2021.
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Authors and Disclosures
Authors and Disclosures
Author(s)
Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
Professor and Associate Chairman, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida
Disclosures: Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD, has disclosed the following relevant financial relationships:
Serve(d) as a consultant for: AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Merck & Co., Inc; Mithra; Pfizer Inc
Receives research grants (funds paid to University of Florida) from: Allergan, Inc.; Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals; Endoceutics; Evafem; Mithra; Myovant; Medicines360
Serve(d) on the Safety Monitoring Board for: Femasys
Received royalties from: UpToDate