Improving Perinatal Care in the Rural Regions Worldwide by Wireless Enabled Antepartum Fetal Monitoring: A Demonstration Project

International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications

ShelleyLyford¹  AntonioSanchez¹  RobertoTapia-Conyer¹  RodrigoSaucedo¹  CarlosMeier¹  RicardoMujica¹  JosephSmith¹  DanielEstrada¹  RamonSabido¹  HectorGallardo¹  KarenBecerra¹  JonathanMack¹  MichaelCasale¹ 

DOI  :  10.1155/2015/794180

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Hindawi Publishing Corporation

【 摘 要 】

Background. Fetal and neonatal morbidity and mortality are significant problems in developing countries; remote maternal-fetal monitoring offers promise in addressing this challenge. The Gary and Mary West Health Institute and the Instituto Carlos Slim de la Salud conducted a demonstration project of wirelesslyenabled antepartum maternal-fetal monitoring in the state of Yucatán, Mexico, to assess whether there were any fundamental barriers preventing deployment and use.Methods. Following informed consent, high-risk pregnant women at 27–29 weeks of gestation at the Chemax primary clinic participated in remote maternal-fetal monitoring.Study participants were randomized to receive either prototype wireless monitoring or standard-of-care.Feasibility was evaluated by assessing technical aspects of performance, adherence to monitoringappointments, and response to recommendations.Results. Data were collected from 153 high-risk pregnant indigenous Mayan women receiving either remote monitoring (n=74) or usual standard-of-care (n=79). Remote monitoring resulted in markedly increased adherence (94.3% versus 45.1%).Health outcomes were not statistically different in the two groups.Conclusions. Remote maternal-fetal monitoring isfeasible in resource-constrained environments and can improve maternal compliance for monitoring sessions. Improvement in maternal-fetal health outcomesrequires integration of such technology into sociocultural context and addressing logistical challenges of access to appropriate emergency services.

【 授权许可】

Unknown