Navigating High-Risk Pregnancies with Remote Patient Monitoring

Simply being pregnant carries some amount of risk for any individual, but a notable minority - around 15 percent worldwide - can be categorized as high-risk. There is no set of discreet, clearly defined criteria for high-risk pregnancy; it simply means that the individual, fetus(es), or both are at greater risk of pregnancy-related adverse health effects compared to the average pregnancy.

Potential Causes of High-Risk Pregnancies

What makes a pregnancy high-risk? The age of the pregnant mother, for one (older than 35 or younger than 17), and pre-existing health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and other chronic conditions also contribute to high-risk pregnancies.

This does not mean that people involved in high-risk pregnancies should be worried or afraid. It simply means they may need to pay extra attention to things like blood pressure, weight, and other measurable health statistics. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) can make this easier.

Useful Medical Devices for High-Risk Pregnancies

Remote monitoring during pregnancy can be convenient for both patients and providers. The medical community has long understood the importance of monitoring vital signs, but technology has only recently enabled us to measure them and send results remotely to doctors in seconds. These integrated devices facilitate remote patient monitoring during pregnancy. Keep reading for examples of RPM devices.

Blood Pressure Cuff

A blood pressure cuff is an example of a remote patient monitoring device that may be useful during pregnancy. We’ve listed it first because hypertension is a hallmark symptom of preeclampsia, one of the most common pregnancy-related complications that can harm a fetus. This condition requires prompt medical attention.

Most patients have little to no trouble taking their blood pressure readings after a short training session with their providers. CoachCare can help set up patient dashboards that automatically update after patients measure their blood pressure, promptly alerting doctors if a patient might need to be seen in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Glucose Meter

Diabetes can be a double-edged sword for pregnant individuals. Those who had diabetes before pregnancy are at greater risk of delivering preterm babies or babies with certain birth defects. Additionally, individuals are at greater risk of developing gestational diabetes around 24 weeks of gestation. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) during pregnancy can be optimized by having patients track their blood sugar levels for immediate review by doctors.

Scale

Pregnancy weight can be a tricky balancing act. Those who become pregnant are expected to gain at least a little weight—indeed, not gaining at least 10 pounds from beginning to end may cause concern for some. Conversely, gaining too much weight during pregnancy can raise the risk of prolonged labor, preeclampsia, or postpartum obesity.

Many patients are accustomed to weighing themselves, especially if they were overweight prior to becoming pregnant. Our high-tech BALANCE Smart Scale can measure patients’ weights, BMI, body fat, lean mass, and other important biometrics. As always, you can rely on this information to be uploaded to dashboards for your staff to access easily and quickly.

Pulse Oximeter

Many people learned about pulse oximeters in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This device slips onto your finger and measures the amount of oxygen in your blood. Certain patients with heart or lung ailments must ensure their blood is properly oxygenated. Pulse oximeters can also measure heart rate, another vital sign worth checking regularly.

Stay On Top of Important Patient Data

The benefits of RPM during pregnancy are almost too numerous to list. Patients who may find traveling to a doctor’s office challenging due to distance, transportation issues, or mobility difficulties can keep their care team informed of important data. Having this information as soon as possible can help improve care outcomes while empowering patients to take control of their health.

CoachCare can help your team fully utilize the latest healthcare equipment technology. In addition to training your staff on using patient monitoring devices, we can ensure the monitoring software is up-to-date and effective. We want to be your partners in this new era of telehealth; contact our team to schedule a demo for any of our remote patient monitoring services.