Fetal Cardiac Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Does It Affect Parental Counseling?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Obstetrics
• Psychology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has broadly impacted healthcare services.
• Fetal cardiac services and parental counseling for congenital heart disease (CHD) may be indirectly affected.
• Assessing these impacts is crucial for maintaining quality patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on parental counseling for fetal congenital heart disease (CHD).
• To compare parental counseling experiences and outcomes before and during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study involving 226 parents from four national tertiary care centers.
• Utilized a validated questionnaire to assess counseling success and parental emotional states.
• Compared outcomes for 169 parents counseled before the pandemic and 57 during the pandemic.

Main Results:

• Overall counseling success rates did not significantly differ between pre-pandemic and pandemic groups.
• Parents counseled during the pandemic reported significantly higher levels of concern and uncertainty regarding their child's diagnosis, therapy, and outcome (p=0.025, p=0.044).
• There was a significantly increased parental demand for written and/or online information on fetal heart disease during the pandemic (p=0.034).

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts the effectiveness of parental counseling for fetal CHD, likely by altering parental perceptions.
• Increased parental anxiety and information needs necessitate adaptations in counseling strategies.
• Innovative approaches like virtual reality or online conferences may enhance fetal cardiac services during critical periods.