scholarly journals eHealth as the Next-Generation Perinatal Care: An Overview of the Literature (Preprint)

Author(s):  
Josephus FM van den Heuvel ◽  
T Katrien Groenhof ◽  
Jan HW Veerbeek ◽  
Wouter W van Solinge ◽  
A Titia Lely ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Unrestricted by time and place, electronic health (eHealth) provides solutions for patient empowerment and value-based health care. Women in the reproductive age are particularly frequent users of internet, social media, and smartphone apps. Therefore, the pregnant patient seems to be a prime candidate for eHealth-supported health care with telemedicine for fetal and maternal conditions. OBJECTIVE This study aims to review the current literature on eHealth developments in pregnancy to assess this new generation of perinatal care. METHODS We conducted a systematic literature search of studies on eHealth technology in perinatal care in PubMed and EMBASE in June 2017. Studies reporting the use of eHealth during prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal care were included. Given the heterogeneity in study methods, used technologies, and outcome measurements, results were analyzed and presented in a narrative overview of the literature. RESULTS The literature search provided 71 studies of interest. These studies were categorized in 6 domains: information and eHealth use, lifestyle (gestational weight gain, exercise, and smoking cessation), gestational diabetes, mental health, low- and middle-income countries, and telemonitoring and teleconsulting. Most studies in gestational diabetes and mental health show that eHealth applications are good alternatives to standard practice. Examples are interactive blood glucose management with remote care using smartphones, telephone screening for postnatal depression, and Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy. Apps and exercise programs show a direction toward less gestational weight gain, increase in step count, and increase in smoking abstinence. Multiple studies describe novel systems to enable home fetal monitoring with cardiotocography and uterine activity. However, only few studies assess outcomes in terms of fetal monitoring safety and efficacy in high-risk pregnancy. Patients and clinicians report good overall satisfaction with new strategies that enable the shift from hospital-centered to patient-centered care. CONCLUSIONS This review showed that eHealth interventions have a very broad, multilevel field of application focused on perinatal care in all its aspects. Most of the reviewed 71 articles were published after 2013, suggesting this novel type of care is an important topic of clinical and scientific relevance. Despite the promising preliminary results as presented, we accentuate the need for evidence for health outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the impact on costs of the possibilities of eHealth interventions in perinatal care. In general, the combination of increased patient empowerment and home pregnancy care could lead to more satisfaction and efficiency. Despite the challenges of privacy, liability, and costs, eHealth is very likely to disperse globally in the next decade, and it has the potential to deliver a revolution in perinatal care.

Author(s):  
Dan Yedu Quansah ◽  
Justine Gross ◽  
Leah Gilbert ◽  
Amelie Pauchet ◽  
Antje Horsch ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Early diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes (GDM) may reduce adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes, especially in high-risk women. However, there is a lack of data for other outcomes. Objective We compared cardiometabolic and mental health outcomes in women with early (eGDM) and classical (cGDM) GDM. Methods This prospective cohort included 1185 women with cGDM and 76 women with eGDM. eGDM had GDM-risk factors (BMI >30kg/m 2, family history of diabetes, history of GDM, ethnicity), were tested at <20 weeks gestational age and diagnosed using ADA prediabetes criteria. Women underwent lifestyle adaptations. Obstetric, neonatal, mental, cardiometabolic outcomes were assessed during pregnancy and postpartum. Results eGDM had lower gestational weight gain than cGDM (10.7±6.2 vs 12.6±6.4, p=0.03), but needed more medical treatment (66% vs 42%, p<0.001). They had similar rates of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, except for increased large-for-gestational-age infants (25% vs 15%, p=0.02). Mental health during pregnancy and postpartum did not differ between groups. eGDM had more atherogenic postpartum lipid profile than cGDM (p≤0.001). In eGDM, the postpartum prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was 1.8-times, prediabetes was 3.1-times and diabetes was 7.4-times higher than cGDM (MetS-waist circumference-based: 62% vs 34%/MetS-BMI-based: 46% vs 24%; prediabetes: 47.5% vs 15.3%; diabetes: 11.9% vs 1.6%, all p<0.001). These differences remained unchanged after adjusting for GDM-risk factors. Conclusion Compared to cGDM, eGDM was not associated with differences in mental health, but with increased adverse cardiometabolic outcomes, independent of GDM-risk factors and gestational weight gain. This hints to a pre-existing risk-profile in eGDM.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Awathif Mackeen ◽  
Danielle Downs ◽  
Vonda Hetherington ◽  
Shawnee Lutcher ◽  
Jacob Mowery ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) has public health implications including preterm birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and cesarean delivery. In an effort to mitigate adverse consequences of excessive GWG, this study tests a health intervention that includes enhancements to improve knowledge and awareness of appropriate GWG, and patient-centered nutritional counseling to promote appropriate GWG. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of the study was to increase the proportion of women who are managing their GWG as recommended by the IOM.4,5 METHODS This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Geisinger in Pennsylvania where excessive GWG is common among women with pre-conception obesity. Eligible, consenting participants with pre-pregnancy body mass index >30.0 kg/m2 were randomized (1:1) to: 1) Usual Care: usual written educational materials and counseling by an obstetric care provider or 2) Enhanced Care: Usual Care plus a) a personalized letter from a physician detailing appropriate GWG, b) exposure to individualized GWG chart in the electronic health record via the patient portal, and c) a consult with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and follow-up via tele-health counseling (10-20 mins/1-2 weeks) for the duration of the pregnancy. RESULTS The primary outcome was the proportion of women that gain less than 20 pounds over the course of the pregnancy. Secondary outcomes include knowledge, expectations, and attitude about pregnancy weight gain; increased self-efficacy for ability to eat healthy and being physically active to manage weight; and eating behavior. Potential moderators that will be explored include sleep, perceived stress, perceived involvement in care, and household food security. Data collection has been completed as of November 2019. CONCLUSIONS As GWG care was initiated for mothers with pre-pregnancy BMI >30 kg/m2 within the first and second trimesters, the intervention may have the additional benefit of reducing other adverse pregnancy outcomes including the incidence of gestational diabetes due to healthier rates of GWG. In addition to assessing appropriate GWG, this project will assess eating habits, physical activity, GWG attitudes, sleep quality, and psychological measures, all of which are associated with GWG. Exploratory mediators including perceived stress and food insecurity will also be evaluated. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02963428


2021 ◽  
Vol 224 (2) ◽  
pp. S678
Author(s):  
Grace J. Johnson ◽  
Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar ◽  
Kjersti M. Aagaard ◽  
Alison N. Goulding ◽  
Matthew A. Shanahan ◽  
...  

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1568 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Simmons ◽  
Roland Devlieger ◽  
Andre van Assche ◽  
Sander Galjaard ◽  
Rosa Corcoy ◽  
...  

Excess gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Lifestyle trials have not achieved much GWG limitation, and have largely failed to prevent GDM. We compared the effect of substantial GWG limitation on maternal GDM risk. Pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) ≥29 kg/m2 <20 weeks gestation without GDM (n = 436) were randomized, in a multicenter trial, to usual care (UC), healthy eating (HE), physical activity (PA), or HE and PA lifestyle interventions. GWG over the median was associated with higher homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin secretion (Stumvoll phases 1 and 2), a higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) at 24–28 weeks (4.66 ± 0.43 vs. 4.61 ± 0.40 mmol/L, p < 0.01), and a higher rate of caesarean section (38% vs. 27% p < 0.05). The GWG over the median at 35–37 weeks was associated with a higher rate of macrosomia (25% vs. 16%, p < 0.05). A post hoc comparison among women from the five sites with a GWG difference >3 kg showed no significance difference in glycaemia or insulin resistance between HE and PA, and UC. We conclude that preventing even substantial increases in GWG after the first trimester has little effect on maternal glycaemia. We recommend randomized controlled trials of effective lifestyle interventions, starting in or before the first trimester.


2015 ◽  
Vol 212 (1) ◽  
pp. S229
Author(s):  
Amy O'Higgins ◽  
Lisa O'Higgins ◽  
Anne Fennessy ◽  
Thomas McCartan ◽  
Laura Mullaney ◽  
...  

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