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

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.