TY - JOUR
T1 - SAFE@HOME
T2 - Digital health platform facilitating a new care path for women at increased risk of preeclampsia – A case-control study
AU - van den Heuvel, Josephus F.M.
AU - Lely, A. Titia
AU - Huisman, Jolijn J.
AU - Trappenburg, Jaap C.A.
AU - Franx, Arie
AU - Bekker, Mireille N.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the e-Health Citrien Program of the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers (Nederlandse Federatie van Universitair Medische Centra, NFU).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Author(s)
PY - 2020/10
Y1 - 2020/10
N2 - Objective: In women at risk of developing preeclampsia, we evaluated the use of a digital health platform for telemonitoring blood pressure and symptoms combined with a minimal antenatal visit schedule. Study design: A case-control study for women with chronic hypertension, history of preeclampsia, or maternal cardiac or kidney disease. A care path was designed with reduced visits enhanced with a digital platform (SAFE@HOME) for daily blood pressure and symptom monitoring starting from 16 weeks of gestation. Home-measurements were monitored in-hospital by obstetric professionals, taking actions upon alarming results. This prospective SAFE@HOME group was compared to a retrospective control group managed without self-monitoring. Main outcome measures: Primary: healthcare consumption (number of antenatal visits, ultrasounds, admissions and diagnostics), user experiences of the platform. Secondary: maternal and perinatal outcomes. Results: Baseline characteristics of the SAFE@HOME (n = 103) and control group (n = 133) were comparable. In the SAFE@HOME group, antenatal visits (mean 13.7 vs 16.0, p < 0.001) and ultrasounds (6.3 vs 7.4, p = 0.005) were lower compared to the control group. Admissions for hypertension or suspected preeclampsia were significantly fewer in the SAFE@HOME group (2.9% versus 13.5%, p = 0.004). Telemonitoring participants were highly satisfied using the platform. No differences were observed for maternal and perinatal outcomes. Conclusions: Our care path including blood pressure telemonitoring for women at risk of preeclampsia allows fewer antenatal visits, ultrasounds and hypertension-related admissions. We observed no differences in perinatal outcomes. These results suggest that telemonitoring of blood pressure is feasible in a high-risk pregnant population and has the potential to profoundly change antenatal care.
AB - Objective: In women at risk of developing preeclampsia, we evaluated the use of a digital health platform for telemonitoring blood pressure and symptoms combined with a minimal antenatal visit schedule. Study design: A case-control study for women with chronic hypertension, history of preeclampsia, or maternal cardiac or kidney disease. A care path was designed with reduced visits enhanced with a digital platform (SAFE@HOME) for daily blood pressure and symptom monitoring starting from 16 weeks of gestation. Home-measurements were monitored in-hospital by obstetric professionals, taking actions upon alarming results. This prospective SAFE@HOME group was compared to a retrospective control group managed without self-monitoring. Main outcome measures: Primary: healthcare consumption (number of antenatal visits, ultrasounds, admissions and diagnostics), user experiences of the platform. Secondary: maternal and perinatal outcomes. Results: Baseline characteristics of the SAFE@HOME (n = 103) and control group (n = 133) were comparable. In the SAFE@HOME group, antenatal visits (mean 13.7 vs 16.0, p < 0.001) and ultrasounds (6.3 vs 7.4, p = 0.005) were lower compared to the control group. Admissions for hypertension or suspected preeclampsia were significantly fewer in the SAFE@HOME group (2.9% versus 13.5%, p = 0.004). Telemonitoring participants were highly satisfied using the platform. No differences were observed for maternal and perinatal outcomes. Conclusions: Our care path including blood pressure telemonitoring for women at risk of preeclampsia allows fewer antenatal visits, ultrasounds and hypertension-related admissions. We observed no differences in perinatal outcomes. These results suggest that telemonitoring of blood pressure is feasible in a high-risk pregnant population and has the potential to profoundly change antenatal care.
KW - Blood pressure
KW - Digital health
KW - eHealth
KW - Preeclampsia
KW - Telemedicine
KW - Telemonitoring
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85088392470&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.preghy.2020.07.006
DO - 10.1016/j.preghy.2020.07.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 32717653
AN - SCOPUS:85088392470
SN - 2210-7789
VL - 22
SP - 30
EP - 36
JO - Pregnancy Hypertension
JF - Pregnancy Hypertension
ER -