Effect of Online Health Guidance on Recovery of Postpartum Minor Discomforts and Neonatal Problems during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, the hospitalization time of the mother and newborn has shortened resulting in limited knowledge and skills of the postnatal home-care. With the development of technology, the maternity nurse becomes able to provide online postpartum guidance for enriching women with information to be able to deal with postpartum minor discomforts and neonatal problems, also minimize the risk of infection caused by face-to-face visits during COVID-19 pandemic. Aim: This study aimed to assess the effect of online health guidance on recovery of postpartum minor discomforts and neonatal health problems during COVID-19 pandemic. Design: A quasi- experimental (pretest/posttest) research design was used. Setting: This study was carried out in Obstetric and Gynecological Inpatient Wards and Labor and Delivery unit at Mansoura University Hospitals, Mansoura city, Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. Study subjects: A non-probability purposive sample of 130 primiparous mothers with their newborns who were fulfilling the criteria. Tools: A structured interview questionnaire to cover the data related to general characteristics and questions related to mother’s knowledge about postpartum minor discomforts and neonatal health problems, follow up sheet and satisfaction likert scale. Results: The present study results showed that there was a highly significant recovery of postpartum minor discomforts and neonatal health problems in the first and second week post intervention compared to pre intervention with a few percentage needed referral to health facility, also, the majority of the studied sample was satisfied with online health guidance and contents taken through it. Conclusion: The online health guidance served as a method for recovery of postpartum minor discomforts and neonatal health problems among primiparous mothers and the majority of them were satisfied with online health guidance and contents taken through it during COVID 19 pandemic thus the tested hypotheses were accepted. Recommendation: The current study recommended integrating the postpartum online health guidance as a new technology method of guidance into the routine maternity care especially during COVID 19 pandemic.