Impact of Telehealth on Pregnant Women's Self-care, Self-efficacy, and Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-experimental Study

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.