Maternal Perinatal Telemonitoring in the Context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in a Tertiary Health Center in Peru

Rommy H. Novoa; Luis Meza-Santibañez; Wilder E. Melgarejo; Xin Huang-Yang; Enrique Guevara-Ríos; Juan Torres-Osorio; Rosa Aponte-Laban; Vladimir Jáuregui-Canchari; Noe Rodríguez-Hilario; Walter Ventura

doi:10.1055/a-1787-6517

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2022; 39(15): 1711-1718
DOI: 10.1055/a-1787-6517

Original Article

Maternal Perinatal Telemonitoring in the Context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in a Tertiary Health Center in Peru

Rommy H. Novoa

¹Obstetrics and Perinatology Department, High-Risk Pregnancy Unit, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

,

Luis Meza-Santibañez

²Maternal and Perinatal Research Unit, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

³School of Medicine “San Fernando,” Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru

,

Wilder E. Melgarejo

⁴School of Medicine “Alberto Hurtado”, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru

,

Xin Huang-Yang

⁴School of Medicine “Alberto Hurtado”, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru

,

Enrique Guevara-Ríos

¹Obstetrics and Perinatology Department, High-Risk Pregnancy Unit, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

³School of Medicine “San Fernando,” Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru

,

Juan Torres-Osorio

⁵Department of Statistics, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

,

Rosa Aponte-Laban

⁶School of Midwifery, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru

,

Vladimir Jáuregui-Canchari

⁵Department of Statistics, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

,

Noe Rodríguez-Hilario

⁵Department of Statistics, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

,

Walter Ventura

⁷Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Maternal and Fetal Medicine Unit, Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal, Lima, Peru

⁸Fetal Medicine Unit, Clinica Anglo Americana, British Medical Hospital, Lima, Peru

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to describe the characteristics of a telemonitoring program that was rapidly implemented in our institution as a response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as the maternal and perinatal outcomes of women who attended this program.

Study Design Retrospective study of patients via phone-call telemonitoring during the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020–August 2020). Maternal and perinatal outcomes were collected and described. Health providers' satisfaction with the telemonitoring program was assessed via an email survey.

Results Twenty-three (69.7%) health providers answered the survey. The mean age was 64.5 years, 91.3% were OB/GYN (obstetrician-gynecologist) doctors, and 95% agreed that telemonitoring is an adequate method to provide health care when in-person visits are difficult. The 78.7% of scheduled telemonitoring consultations were finally completed. We performed 2,181 telemonitoring consultations for 616 pregnant women and 544 telemonitoring consultations for puerperal women. Other medical specialties offering telemonitoring included gynecology, reproductive health, family planning, cardiology, endocrinology, and following up with patients with reactive serology to severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The majority of the population attending our telemonitoring program were categorized as the lowest strata, i.e., III and IV, according to the Human Development Index, and approximately 42% were deemed as high-risk pregnant women. Additionally, we reported the perinatal outcomes of 424 (63%) pregnant women, the most relevant finding being that approximately 53% of them had cesarean sections.

Conclusion Telemonitoring is an adequate method of continuing the provision of prenatal care when in-person visits are difficult in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemonitoring is feasible even in institutions with no or little experience in telemedicine. The perinatal outcomes in women with telemonitoring seem to be similar to that in the general population.

Key Points

Telemonitoring for prenatal care is feasible even in low-income countries and in a critical scenario.
OB/GYN doctors agreed with that telemonitoring is an adequate method to provide prenatal care.
Maternal and perinatal outcomes are similar in women attending a telemonitoring program.

Keywords

telemonitoring - telemedicine - prenatal care - COVID-19 - pandemic - perinatal outcomes

Full Text

References

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