eHealth for for care during pregnancy: a scan of systematic review protocols registered in PROSPERO

Objective: To identify and summarize the systematic review protocols assessing eHealth technologies to enhance care and practice during pregnancy.

Methods: A literature scan was conducted in PROSPERO, an international prospective register of systematic reviews. Search terms “e-health”, “ehealth” and “telemedicine” were applied. Retrieved protocols were screened against eligibility criteria. Additional searches of authors’ profiles were carried out to source publications of results. Characteristics of included protocols were presented in tabular form with an accompanying narrative summary.

Result: Thirteen systematic review protocols were identified as eligible for inclusion in the literature scan. Protocols were registered from 2016-2022. The eHealth technologies outlined in the protocols included digital interventions, mHealth, telehealth, and internet-based interventions. The technologies targeted outcomes related to general maternal health, diabetes management, maternal mental health, health education, and health behavior. Tools for assessing the risk of bias in included studies were widely cited. Reporting guidelines for the reviews and grading of recommendations were cited in the minority of protocols.

Conclusion: While eHealth technologies are an innovative area of maternity care research, there is limited high-level evidence summaries in the form of systematic reviews to help inform the development of evidence-based practice guidance. Further evidence syntheses assessing the effect, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of eHealth for care in pregnancy are needed.