Telehealth to Improve Perinatal Care Access

Area of Science:

• Maternal Health
• Public Health
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• The US faces a high maternal mortality rate compared to peer nations.
• Black women experience a 3-4 times higher mortality risk than White women.
• Maternity care deserts limit access to essential obstetric services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of telehealth to bridge the gap in perinatal care access.
• To examine how telehealth can reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality.

Main Methods:

• Review of telehealth's role in delivering prenatal and postpartum services.
• Analysis of telehealth as a solution for limited access in maternity care deserts.

Main Results:

• Telehealth enables direct patient-provider communication, overcoming physical access barriers.
• The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists endorses telehealth for perinatal services.

Conclusions:

• Telehealth offers a viable strategy to enhance access to perinatal care.
• Implementing telehealth can potentially decrease maternal and neonatal mortality rates.