Maternity care during a pandemic: Can a hybrid telehealth model comprising group interdisciplinary education support maternal psychological health?

BACKGROUND

The transition to parenthood is one of the most challenging across the life course, with profound changes that can impact psychological health. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), came the rapid implementation of remote antenatal care, i.e., telehealth, with fewer in-person consultations. A change in service delivery in addition to the cancellation of antenatal education represented a potential threat to a woman's experience - with likely adverse effects on mental health and wellbeing.

AIM: To explore a hybrid model of pregnancy care, i.e., telehealth and fewer in-person health assessments, coupled with concurrent small group interdisciplinary education delivered via video conferencing, extending into the postnatal period.

METHODS

Using a quasi-experimental design with an interrupted time series and a control group, this population-based study recruited low-risk women booking for maternity care at one community health site affiliated with a large public hospital in Victoria, Australia.

FINDINGS: Whilst there was no difference in stress and anxiety scores, a significant interactive effect of the hybrid model of care with time was seen in the DASS depression score (-1.17, 95% CI: -1.81, -0.53) and the EPDS (-0.83, 95% CI: -1.5, -0.15).

DISCUSSION: The analyses provide important exploratory findings regarding the positive effects of a hybrid model of care with interdisciplinary education in supporting mental health of first-time mothers.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that small group online education scheduled in conjunction with individual pregnancy health assessments can be executed within a busy antenatal clinic with promising results and modest but dedicated staff support.