Remote monitoring improves postpartum assessment in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, study finds

Remote monitoring is effective at improving postpartum assessment in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, a new study has shown.

The study, published in The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, found that Babyscripts, a solution for remote management of pregnancy and postpartum, is capable of improving postpartum assessment in patients with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

The research demonstrated that remote monitoring with an automatic blood pressure cuff via the Babyscripts programme resulted in high levels of patient engagement and had the potential to identify those at risk of severe complications from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) in postpartum.

“The postpartum period is one of the most dangerous for a woman’s health, and much of that danger comes from lack of access to care,” said Anish Sebastian, co-founder and CEO of Babyscripts.

“Around 10 per cent of women have incidents of critically high blood pressure in postpartum that may be missed because they don’t make it to their postpartum follow-up appointments.

“This study shows that solutions like Babyscripts have the power to reach and empower these women to manage their risks, regardless of access.”

The research, which was conducted at WellSpan Health, was initiated in September 2020, with 1,260 patients enrolled in the Babyscripts myBloodPressure module between September 2020 and July 2022 across five maternity hospitals.

Prior to discharge postpartum, all patients with a diagnosis of a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy were enrolled in Babyscripts myBloodPressure and given an automatic blood pressure cuff and instructions on how to monitor and track their blood pressure daily in the app.

The group used Babyscripts myBloodPressure to record their blood pressure levels, capturing data and communicating it back to the provider team through an internet-connected blood pressure cuff and Babyscripts’ smartphone app.

The paper found that of those enrolled, 74 per cent were highly engaged with monitoring, entering seven or more blood pressures

Additionally, it showed that of those who entered at least one blood pressure, nine per cent entered at least one critical range blood pressure.

Julia Wheeling, programme director of the women and children service line at WellSpan Health, said: “At WellSpan Health, we are committed to improving maternal health outcomes and we continuously seek innovative ways to meet the unique needs of our patients, particularly those grappling with hypertensive disorders.

“Their wellbeing is not just a priority but a driving force behind our relentless pursuit of excellence in care.”