Retracted: Virtual clinic in pregnancy and postpartum healthcare: A systematic review

Abstract

Background and Aims To monitor the health status of pregnant women moment by moment, new technologies in the field of telemedicine can be used, such as virtual visits and virtual clinics. During the COVID‐19 pandemic, by using these technologies, useful and satisfactory services have been provided to pregnant mothers. The aim of this study is to specify the applications, features, and infrastructure of a comprehensive virtual clinic in the field of gynecological and pregnancy care. Methods A systematic review search was conducted through the scientific databases from February 2013 to February 2022 using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Furthermore, manual searches in Google Scholar and the reference lists of included studies were carried out. Results In this systematic review we included 16 articles that reported experiences in virtual clinics in pregnancy and postpartum healthcare. The involved studies were experimental, cohort, and cross‐sectional studies. The target group users were pregnant or women who gave birth and families of neonatal. The application of virtual clinics was for the visit, consultation, monitoring, follow‐up, and home care virtually. Highly satisfaction scores of caregivers after virtual visits and consultation were reported. There were some challenges during virtual visits and consultation; the most important challenge was a poor internet connection. Conclusion The reviewed studies show promising outcomes according to patient and provider satisfaction. We predict that telehealth will become a growingly significant part of gynecological care in the future.

The femtech revolution—A new approach to pregnancy management: Digital transformation of maternity care—The hybrid e‐health perinatal clinic addressing the unmet needs of low‐ and middle‐income countries

“…PregCare embraces a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to optimize maternal and fetal medicine in pregnancies. 1,37…”

“…Various factors, including advanced maternal age and inadequate diet management, contribute to an elevated risk of developing hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy. Moreover, pregnant women with pre‐existing chronic conditions require ongoing health monitoring throughout pregnancy to ensure optimal outcomes 1 …”

“…Moreover, pregnant women with pre-existing chronic conditions require ongoing health monitoring throughout pregnancy to ensure optimal outcomes. 1 In recent years, increasing advances have been directed towards new forms of health technology for personal use, also known as personal health tracking technologies (PHTTs). PHTTs-from "smartwatches" to "Fitbits"-play an increasingly vital role in self-care and healthcare practices.…”

“…This shift in approach was implemented to ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare personnel. 1 Therefore, we, the authors, put forth a groundbreaking proposal for the global delivery of "e-hybrid" prenatal care. The current prenatal care system fails to address patients' needs, necessitating a new, effective approach.…”

“…However, after the declaration of a state of emergency in response to COVID‐19, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommended the incorporation of telehealth appointments as a means to mitigate the transmission of infections during clinic visits and interactions with healthcare providers. This shift in approach was implemented to ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare personnel 1 …”