Online Antenatal Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities and Challenges

• DOI: 10.2196/19916
• Publication Date: 2020-07-13T18:24:53Z
• Authors: Huailiang Wu; Weiwei Sun; Xinyu Huang; Shinning Yu; Hao Wang; Xiaoyu Bi; Jie Sheng; Sihan Chen; Babatunde Akinwunmi; Casper J P Zhang; Wai-Kit Ming
• Keywords: Pandemic; Prenatal Care

People across the world have been greatly affected by ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The high infection risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in hospitals is particularly problematic for recently delivered mothers and currently pregnant women who require professional antenatal care. Online care would be a preferable alternative these since it can provide pregnancy-related information remote clinic consultations. In addition, online may help to relatively economical medical services diminish health inequality due its convenience cost-effectiveness, especially developing countries or regions. However, some will doubt reliability such information. Therefore, important ensure quality safety establish stable, mutual trust between women, obstetric providers technology vis-a-vis programs. Here, we report how COVID-19 pandemic brings not only opportunities development popularization programs but also challenges.