Digital Tools to Support Postpartum Recovery: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Digital Health
• Exercise Science

Background:

• Postpartum return to physical activity (PA) faces numerous physical, psychological, and socio-cultural barriers.
• Successful postpartum PA is linked to improved maternal physical and mental health.
• Digital technologies present a novel avenue to support postpartum PA, yet their efficacy is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on digital technologies used to facilitate postpartum return to PA.
• To assess the impact of digital interventions on PA levels in postpartum women.
• To evaluate patient satisfaction and confidence in returning to PA using digital tools.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines.
• Searches were performed across major electronic databases (Web of Science, SCOPUS, Embase, APA Psycnet, PubMed) up to July 2022.
• Included studies evaluated digital technologies (pedometers, apps, text messaging) for postpartum PA return.

Main Results:

• Fourteen studies involving 2714 participants were included.
• Seven studies reported statistically significant increases in PA, averaging 108%.
• Four of six studies investigating secondary outcomes found improvements in perceived barrier reduction, satisfaction, and confidence.

Conclusions:

• Digital interventions show potential for supporting postpartum return to PA, especially within multimodal strategies.
• Further randomized controlled trials are necessary to precisely determine the contribution of digital tools.
• Digital health offers a promising avenue for enhancing maternal postpartum recovery and well-being.