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Digital support tools for fertility patients - a narrative systematic review
Isla Robertson1,2, Olufunmilola Ogundiran1, Ying Cheong1,2
1University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Human Fertility (Cambridge, England)
|July 27, 2021
Summary
Digital tools, like smartphone apps, support fertility treatments by improving care and patient communication. However, there
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Digital Health
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Digital support tools are increasingly integrated into fertility treatments to enhance patient care and communication.
- Patient engagement with these tools depends on their perceived usefulness and user experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze digital support tools developed for fertility patients.
- To evaluate the features and user feedback of these digital tools.
- To assess the current evidence base for digital fertility support tools.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of app markets and electronic literature databases for digital fertility support tools.
- Narrative analysis of identified tools, focusing on features and user reviews.
- Thematic analysis of user feedback from app marketplaces.
Main Results:
- 46 digital support tools for fertility patients were identified; web-based tools focused on psychosocial support, while apps offered practical features.
- User feedback indicated high patient expectations, particularly regarding user experience.
- Nine studies evaluated web-based tools, but no peer-reviewed studies assessed smartphone apps for fertility support.
Conclusions:
- A growing number of digital tools are available for fertility patients, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited.
- There is a significant gap in peer-reviewed research on smartphone applications for fertility support.
- Clinicians and patients currently have limited evidence to evaluate the efficacy and usability of these digital tools.
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