Digital Enablement: Reshaping Maternal Health
Digital healthcare is reshaping the way we deliver maternal health, giving women better and more convenient access to care and a greater ability to seek help when and where they need it.
According to PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia) research shows around 15-22% of women experience depression during pregnancy and 4-20% experience anxiety after giving birth. Digital health offers new mums easy access to mental health providers without requiring them to make excuses or juggle the demands of family life while attending appointments. Keeping these resources available online can help provide new mums with timely support when it is needed most.
Digital technology can facilitate remote monitoring of vitals such as blood pressure and heart rate – eliminating the need for mothers to visit the hospital or clinic for regular check-ups if it’s inconvenient or a cause for stress due to scheduling, limitations on transport, etc. while telehealth and virtual care solutions provide access to remote medical consultations. Being able to access appointments in this way can prevent mums-to-be from having to travel to healthcare facilities or juggle childcare arrangements in order to receive quality care and issues can be addressed quickly and effectively without disruption to family life.
Digital health also enables greater collaboration between healthcare providers, ensuring that mums are kept informed at every step of their treatment journey and better enabling them to make informed decisions regarding their own health outcomes. Further, they can provide educational resources that can assist pregnant women with developing an understanding of what’s happening during their pregnancy and inform them about the best ways to take care of themselves during this time.
Not only does digital healthcare provide increased access for these women, but it can also help reduce perceived (or actual) stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment during pregnancy and postpartum depression. By providing virtual support platforms that allow women to communicate with trained healthcare professionals, providers are helping new mothers feel more comfortable reaching out for assistance if they experience symptoms of anxiety or depression. This is essential to ensure that all mothers receive the quality care they deserve during this important time in their lives so they can preserve their own wellbeing and provide optimal care for their new family additions.
Digital enablement in healthcare is playing an increasingly important role in improving outcomes in maternal health by supporting women with accessible, high-quality healthcare that’s tailored to their unique journey to motherhood.