Advances in obstetric telemonitoring: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Digital Health
• Maternal Healthcare Technology

Background:

• Obstetric telemonitoring offers improved gestational care, reducing travel needs and enabling early complication detection.
• It facilitates local intervention before hospitalization, enhancing patient outcomes.
• Mobile technologies are increasingly integrated into remote obstetric care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify advances in obstetric telemonitoring using mobile technologies.
• To assess the contributions and limitations of current telemonitoring practices.
• To highlight areas for future research and development in the field.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of literature from 2008-2018.
• Searches conducted across major databases including Pubmed, Medline, LILACS, Cochrane, Scielo, Embase, ACM Surveys, and IEEE.
• Methodological rigor assessed using PRISMA and CASP guidelines.

Main Results:

• 26 papers were included, primarily focusing on prenatal care, high-risk pregnancies, and homecare.
• Smartphone applications interacting with telemonitoring devices showed promising results for data accuracy and clinical decision-making.
• Significant gaps identified include limited postpartum/delivery focus, isolated health aspect monitoring, and insufficient usability testing.
• Underinvestment in studies for developing countries with high maternal/fetal mortality was noted.

Conclusions:

• Obstetric telemonitoring holds significant potential for improving gestational outcomes and early complication detection.
• Development of integrated telemonitoring systems covering childbirth and postpartum periods is recommended.
• Further research and investment are crucial, particularly in resource-limited settings.