How COVID-19 Has Impacted Prenatal Care

Topic: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Prenatal Care

The coronavirus pandemic has brought an unexpected change, signaling new guidelines in prenatal care. Notably, the previous guidelines had not been updated for almost a century. Now, the new guidelines are being crafted to bring focused and individualized prenatal care to pregnant women.

Previous Prenatal Care Guidelines

Previously, 12-14 in-person visits for pregnant individuals were the established norm. In fact, this norm has been around since the year 1930. Though COVID-19 amended these guidelines out of necessity, many have found that 12-14 in-person visits may be excessive for some individuals. The key moving forward is to maintain flexibility, yet still render high-quality prenatal care.

An Update in Prenatal Care Guidelines

Previous guidelines recommended women see a doctor at least around a dozen times before giving birth. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, office visits posed a high risk for pregnant women. While office visits were restricted in 2020 due to the pandemic, some health care experts do not anticipate going backward.

For example, telemedicine and fewer in-person visits for pregnancies that are not high-risk have proven to still be effective, and according to Obstetrics and Gynecology published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, may be a new model to adopt.

Since each pregnancy is different and some are more at risk than others, the ultimate goal is to tailor the number of in-person visits to fit the woman’s specific medical conditions, history, and social and structural determinants of her health. More specifically, low-risk or uncomplicated pregnancies may see a new recommendation of 8-10 in-person visits that are spaced out over time, instead of the previous standard of 12-14 visits. In essence, these in-person visits would be supported with alternative options, such as telemedicine and home monitoring devices. This would help ensure that each patient still received high-quality prenatal care.

Of course, patients with at-risk pregnancies, complications, or underlying health conditions would still need more monitoring, including additional in-person visits. Examples of this include individuals who have preexisting diabetes, chronic hypertension, and other conditions. Thus, the number of in-person visits would be tailored to fit the needs of each mother-to-be.

Key Takeaway

Out of necessity, the number of in-person visits for prenatal care during the coronavirus pandemic slowed. However, many health experts have noted that a return to 12-14 in-person visits may not be necessary for pregnancies that are low-risk or for mothers who do not have complicating health factors. Instead, 8-10 in-person visits may be the new norm, ushering in tailored and personalized health care for pregnant individuals.

Topic Discussed: How COVID-19 Has Impacted Prenatal Care