The Impact of Telehealth on Maternal-fetal Healthcare
Major
Nursing, BSN
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Nursing
Faculty Advisor
Cassandra Adkins
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-11-2026 11:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 12:30 PM
Abstract
Access to healthcare in rural areas has declined since 2020. There are many barriers to rural populations being able to access care including poverty, distance, lack of transportation, lack of healthcare providers available, and healthcare beliefs. Particularly concerning is the lack of obstetric healthcare services available to rural populations. The United States (US) has the highest maternal health/newborn morbidity and mortality rate of any high income nation, and this has become worse instead of better since COVID. Compared to other high-income nations, the US continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths, with 80 percent of them being preventable (Gibbs, 2025). A compounding factor in poor maternal-fetal outcomes, is rural hospitals closing labor and delivery units due to funding issues and lack of healthcare providers. This has created maternal healthcare deserts. One way in which the lack of services can be supported is to use telehealth. Telehealth is an online resource, either a call or video chat, for patients to contact a healthcare provider or have regular check-ins. Telehealth allows patients to connect with a provider during all periods of pregnancy from the comfort of their home, allowing patients to have their questions answered, concerns allayed, and a referral to an in person provider if concerning signs arise. Timely prevention and intervention is vital to preventing premature births and neonatal intensive care stays. We are conducting a review of the literature concerning maternal-fetal health in rural America. This review will help evaluate the efficacy of telehealth as an intervention to mitigate maternal-fetal deaths, injuries, and poor outcomes. By using the PRISMA technique for our search we will explore how telehealth can be effectively integrated into rural perinatal care. We will identify the use of telehealth on maternal-fetal outcomes and preventable complications. Our review is currently in progress.
The Impact of Telehealth on Maternal-fetal Healthcare
CNS Atrium
Access to healthcare in rural areas has declined since 2020. There are many barriers to rural populations being able to access care including poverty, distance, lack of transportation, lack of healthcare providers available, and healthcare beliefs. Particularly concerning is the lack of obstetric healthcare services available to rural populations. The United States (US) has the highest maternal health/newborn morbidity and mortality rate of any high income nation, and this has become worse instead of better since COVID. Compared to other high-income nations, the US continues to have the highest rate of maternal deaths, with 80 percent of them being preventable (Gibbs, 2025). A compounding factor in poor maternal-fetal outcomes, is rural hospitals closing labor and delivery units due to funding issues and lack of healthcare providers. This has created maternal healthcare deserts. One way in which the lack of services can be supported is to use telehealth. Telehealth is an online resource, either a call or video chat, for patients to contact a healthcare provider or have regular check-ins. Telehealth allows patients to connect with a provider during all periods of pregnancy from the comfort of their home, allowing patients to have their questions answered, concerns allayed, and a referral to an in person provider if concerning signs arise. Timely prevention and intervention is vital to preventing premature births and neonatal intensive care stays. We are conducting a review of the literature concerning maternal-fetal health in rural America. This review will help evaluate the efficacy of telehealth as an intervention to mitigate maternal-fetal deaths, injuries, and poor outcomes. By using the PRISMA technique for our search we will explore how telehealth can be effectively integrated into rural perinatal care. We will identify the use of telehealth on maternal-fetal outcomes and preventable complications. Our review is currently in progress.