Saeedeh Askari; Hadis Bahmaei; Maryam Beheshti Nasab; Mahmood Maniati; Saeed Ghanbarei; Nosrat Zaherian; Mina Iravani
Volume 25, Issue 10 , 2023
Abstract
Background: Pregnant women need correct information and skills for effective self-care and improved self-efficacy during pregnancy. Maternal training will raise women's awareness of pregnancy and childbirth, leading to higher self-efficacy.Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the impact of telehealth ...
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Background: Pregnant women need correct information and skills for effective self-care and improved self-efficacy during pregnancy. Maternal training will raise women's awareness of pregnancy and childbirth, leading to higher self-efficacy.Objectives: The present study aimed to assess the impact of telehealth on pregnant women's self-care, self-efficacy, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This quasi-experimental study involved low-risk pregnant women selected from prenatal public clinics in Ahvaz, Iran. Eligible pregnant women (n=150) were assigned to three groups: WhatsApp training (n=50), phone call training (n=50), and control (n=50). Women in the three groups received four face-to-face prenatal care sessions based on the content recommended by the Iranian Ministry of Health. In addition to these four face-to-face sessions, four more virtual training sessions were held for the WhatsApp and phone call groups.Results: Raising the awareness of pregnant women through telephone counseling was found to not only increase their self-efficacy, self-care, and satisfaction but also reduce the need for in-person visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was observed between self-efficacy and self-care scores; moreover, they have a relatively negative weak correlation with face-to-face visits.Conclusion: The results of this study suggested that most pregnant women were satisfied with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanks to this type of care provision, their self-efficacy and self-care levels were high. Reduced face-to-face visits during the pandemic are the main advantage of telehealth.
