It's no secret that the health of a mother can impact the health of their newborn, or the child they still carry. A recent report from U.S. News warns that high blood pressure during pregnancy are twice more likely to happen in millennials and Gen Z, compared to women from the baby boom generation. High blood pressure during pregnancy may result in heart failure, a premature birth leading to growth-restriction, or even death of the child. The latest research on the subject raises alarm as researchers observe more people in more recent generations entering pregnancy with risk factors like obesity.
As such, intensive care during high-risk pregnancies is crucial. While the US is currently facing a shortage of midwives and OB-GYNs, new measures are constantly being taken to help ease the situation and ensure qualified professional care for mothers in high-risk pregnancies. One such case is the establishment of Millie, a maternity clinic for the best OB-GYNs in Berkeley, which aims to prioritize healthcare for mothers, birthing people, and their babies. Another key service being offered is virtual care services using telehealth tech.
In fact, telehealth has become a viable solution nowadays to provide care for patients of most physical or mental conditions across the country, as the pool of in-person healthcare professionals remain low. In today's post, we'll go over the role of telehealth in caring for high-risk pregnancies:
Access to expert physicians
For high-risk pregnant women, it's important to have access to specialists for certain conditions. Traveling far can be risky for high-risk pregnant women, after all. However, consulting experts and specialists can be difficult, especially when a clinic or hospital is far from home. This is where telemedicine comes in. Case in point, telemedicine physicians across Washington D.C. are required to be board-certified and licensed practitioners, so they can provide adequate care for high-risk pregnant women, who may be living on the opposite side of the state. Having the convenience of being just a click away from qualified physicians can help ease you and your family's mind in case of emergencies, as they can answer urgent queries before, during, and after the pregnancy.
Treatment of postpartum depression
Contributing factors to maternal mortality include conditions such as postpartum depression, which can go undetected in some cases. This often puts both new mothers, their children, and their families at risk. A study from Maastricht University found that telemedicine interventions can significantly decrease postpartum depression symptoms in mothers and parents by enhancing the emotional well-being of mothers, providing support for maternal and paternal self-efficacy, as well as boosting overall parenting confidence for new parents especially. The study also indicated that the combined effort of telephone- and web-based interventions with telehealth professionals can effectively improve postnatal depression.
Boosting parenting confidence
It's common for pregnant women and their families to have many questions about the different stages, restrictions, and safety measures of a pregnancy. While having access to telehealth practitioners is vastly useful for inquiries before and during the pregnancy, intensive care for high-risk mothers after pregnancy can help prevent mishaps — or even help mothers navigate aspects of motherhood they are intimidated by. We've previously written a Born Fertile Lady post on how intermittent fasting affects breastfeeding, and while it can be tempting to try out pregnancy or post-pregnancy tips and hacks, doing so when you are considered high-risk could prove harmful to your baby or to yourself in the long run. Like we always recommend, it's better to consult with a healthcare provider or professional. Having easier, online access to them via telemedicine could save you the trouble of an in-person doctor's visit.
