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Testing the Feasibility of Remote Patient Monitoring in Prenatal Care Using a Mobile App and Connected Devices: A
Kathryn I Marko1, Jill M Krapf2, Andrew C Meltzer3
1George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.
Insights
Remote patient monitoring using a mobile app and connected devices is feasible for prenatal care. This system effectively tracks weight and blood pressure, enhancing maternal and infant health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Digital health
- Maternal-fetal medicine
- Remote patient monitoring
Background:
- Excessive gestational weight gain and hypertension are key risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.
- Effective strategies for managing weight and blood pressure during pregnancy are crucial for maternal and infant well-being.
- The utility of remote patient monitoring (RPM) in prenatal care remains under-assessed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of remote prenatal care using a mobile application and connected digital devices.
- To assess patient engagement, data accuracy, alert system efficacy, and satisfaction with RPM in pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study involving 8 low-risk pregnant women.
- Participants used a mobile app with connected digital weight scales and blood pressure cuffs for at-home data collection.
- System feasibility was measured by app engagement, data accuracy, alert efficacy, and patient satisfaction.
Main Results:
- High patient engagement with the app (5.5 times/week) and consistent data collection for weight (1.5 times/week) and blood pressure (1.1 times/week).
- Remote measurements demonstrated high accuracy compared to in-office readings.
- The alert system effectively identified abnormal weight gain episodes with no false alarms, and patients reported high satisfaction.
Conclusions:
- A mobile app integrated with remote monitoring devices is a feasible approach for enhancing prenatal care.
- This pilot study indicates the potential of RPM to improve monitoring and management of key health indicators during pregnancy.
Background:
Excessive weight gain and elevated blood pressure are significant risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes such as gestational diabetes, premature birth, and preeclampsia. More effective strategies to facilitate adherence to gestational weight gain goals and monitor blood pressure may have a positive health benefit for pregnant women and their babies. The impact of utilizing a remote patient monitoring system to monitor blood pressure and weight gain as a component of prenatal care has not been previously assessed.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of monitoring patients remotely in prenatal care using a mobile phone app and connected digital devices.
Methods:
In this prospective observational study, 8 women with low risk pregnancy in the first trimester were recruited at an urban academic medical center. Participants received a mobile phone app with a connected digital weight scale and blood pressure cuff for at-home data collection for the duration of pregnancy. At-home data was assessed for abnormal values of blood pressure or weight to generate clinical alerts to the patient and provider. As measures of the feasibility of the system, participants were studied for engagement with the app, accuracy of remote data, efficacy of alert system, and patient satisfaction.
Results:
Patient engagement with the mobile app averaged 5.5 times per week over the 6-month study period. Weight data collection and blood pressure data collection averaged 1.5 times and 1.1 times per week, respectively. At-home measurements of weight and blood pressure were highly accurate compared to in-office measurements. Automatic clinical alerts identified two episodes of abnormal weight gain with no false triggers. Patients demonstrated high satisfaction with the system.
Conclusions:
In this pilot study, we demonstrated that a system using a mobile phone app coupled to remote monitoring devices is feasible for prenatal care.
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