Digital Health as a Mechanism to Reduce Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Admissions: Retrospective Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Maternal Health
• Neonatal Care

Background:

• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission incurs significant costs and family stress.
• Digital health interventions show potential in addressing modifiable health factors influencing NICU admissions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between using a comprehensive prenatal digital health platform and gestational age at birth.
• To investigate how this platform use relates to mechanisms that may reduce NICU admission risk.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 3326 users of a digital health platform (January 2020 - May 2022).
• Multivariable regression models assessed the link between platform use and gestational age/NICU admission risk factors.
• Analyses were stratified based on the presence of gestational conditions.

Main Results:

• Increased digital health platform use correlated positively with gestational age at birth for all users.
• Platform use was associated with increased engagement in risk-reduction mechanisms: medically accurate information, mental health management, and understanding warning signs.
• Higher gestational age at birth was linked to a decreased likelihood of NICU admission.
• Understanding warning signs via the platform reduced NICU admission odds for users with gestational conditions.

Conclusions:

• Prenatal digital health platform use is associated with improved gestational age at birth.
• Digital health tools can empower expectant parents with knowledge and resources, potentially lowering NICU admission rates.