Exploratory study of clinician and patient views regarding the use of a preconception care app for women with diabetes

Abstract

Women with diabetes are at increased risk of adverse maternal and foetal outcomes. Preconception care can minimise risk of complications and improve outcomes, but current provision is inadequate. Electronic health technology, particularly apps, could improve preconception care provision but research is lacking in this area. The aim of this article is to explore the views and experiences of clinicians and women with diabetes regarding the use of a mobile app for preconception care. An exploratory study was conducted. Data were collected using focus group and interviews with 19 participants, comprising 10 clinicians and 9 women with type 1 or 2 diabetes. Data were analysed thematically. Women with diabetes and clinicians highlighted the inadequacy and challenges of current preconception care service provision and expressed a high level of enthusiasm and interest, towards a preconception care app that could support preconception care delivery for women with diabetes and overcome barriers to preconception care service provision and uptake. The acceptability of mobile health technology to both women and clinicians creates an important opportunity to overcome existing barriers to service provision, delivery and uptake, and improve both maternal and foetal outcomes for women with diabetes.

Why do women not prepare for pregnancy? Exploring women’s and health care providers’ views on barriers to uptake of preconception care in Mana District, Southwest Ethiopia: a qualitative study

“…This study also found health care providers' lack of knowledge about preconception care as barriers to its uptake. This finding was supported by studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Netherland, Ireland, Malaysia, and Iran [26,[31][32][33]40]. The current and previous studies showed that some health care providers were not familiar with this issue.…”

“…The current study as well as earlier studies [ 26 , 29 , 33 , 36 , 37 ], recognized unplanned pregnancy as an important deterrent to the uptake of preconception care. These findings implicated unplanned pregnancy remains affecting maternal and child health.…”

“…Among these, women's lack of knowledge about the benefits of preconception care is a major deterrent to the uptake of PC. Similarly, other studies from high-income countries [26][27][28][29][30][31], uppermiddle-income countries [32,33], and low-income countries [34] found this as a key barrier to the uptake of preconception care. This was due to the fact that a new program in many countries and the existence of knowledge gaps among health care providers.…”

“…Thirty-eight women of reproductive age groups participated in the 4 focused group discussions. The mean age of the reproductive age group women was 29.67(range: [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38]. The majority of the women were illiterate in terms of their educational status and multiparous in terms of parity.…”

Preconception and Diabetes Information (PADI) App for Women with Pregestational Diabetes: a Feasibility and Acceptability Study

“…Consequently, insufficient PCC coverage and subsequent high rates of adverse maternal/fetal outcomes have remained a persistent public health challenge [9,[38][39][40]. There is therefore a need to leverage smartphone use in the delivery of PCC to women with DM [9,13,41].…”