Obstetrical Telehealth and Virtual Care Practices During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The coincidence of a global pandemic with 21st-century telecommunication technology has led to rapid deployment of virtual obstetric care beginning in March of 2020. Pregnancy involves uniquely time-sensitive health care that may be amenable to restructuring into a hybrid of telemedicine and traditional visits to optimize accessibility and outcomes. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has provided an unprecedented natural laboratory to explore how virtual obstetric care programs can be developed, implemented, and maintained, both as a contingency model for the pandemic and potentially for the future. Here, we discuss the role of telehealth and virtual care for pregnancy management in the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, as well as anticipated barriers, challenges, and strategies for success for obstetric telemedicine.