Restructuring maternal services during the covid-19 pandemic: Early results of a scoping review for non-infected women.
Caterina Montagnoli, Giovanni Zanconato, Stefania Ruggeri and 2 others
PMID 33412360WHAT IT FOUND
Telehealth, drive-through checks, home surveillance and fewer combined in-person visits were proposed for non-infected pregnant women.
The review reports models, not tested outcomes, so benefit remains unproven.
Key findings
01Nine studies met the review's criteria for antenatal care models used with non-infected pregnant women during the pandemic.
02Low-risk pregnancy models mainly reduced in-person visits by combining scans, clinical observation and blood or urine tests into fewer appointments.
03For gestational diabetes or hypertensive disorders, models required patient education for self-monitoring blood pressure and glucose management.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
It reviewed only 9 studies from March to July 2020, so it reflects early pandemic practice rather than mature evidence. It describes proposed models, not tested patient outcomes, and the authors state the interventions are not yet supported by full evidence. Quality assessment was done by the principal investigator, and no study was excluded based on that assessment. It excluded guidelines and care for infected patients, so it does not address those settings. Remote models depend on connectivity, devices, a quiet private setting and staff time, which may not be available in low-resource settings.
Declared interests
The research received no specific grant, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat telehealth, drive-through antenatal checks or remote monitoring as proven safer or better care. This review maps proposed models from 9 early studies, and the authors say these interventions are not yet supported by full evidence.