Effect of Tele-Medicine on Health Anxiety and Pregnancy-Related Anxiety in Pregnant Women during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Iran

BACKGROUND: The global spread of the new coronavirus has increased the necessity of innovations to increase the quality of health care. This study was intended to examine the impact of tele-medicine on health anxiety and pregnancy-related anxiety in pregnant women during the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This quasi-experimental study was performed between March and May 2020. Sampling was done using multi-stage random sampling method. A total of 104 pregnant women were in two groups (intervention: n = 52, control: n = 52). Data were collected using a demographic and obstetric information questionnaire, the Health Anxiety Questionnaire, and Van den Bergh’s Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire. The intervention group received counseling services for 2 months by researchers through telephone conversations, text messages, and applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram. In addition to routine pregnancy care, they could contact the researchers by phone and receive the necessary advice in case of any questions, ambiguities, or problems. The control group included pregnant women who received only routine pregnancy care. RESULTS: After the intervention, health anxiety scores of pregnant women in the control group were significantly higher than those of the experimental group (t(98) = 13.54, p < 0.001). Also, the mean (SD) scores of pregnancy-related anxiety in the control group were significantly higher compared with the intervention group (t(98) = 3.80, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Using tele-medicine, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic can reduce unnecessary referrals of pregnant women to medical centers and their risk of developing the disease, on the one hand, and by reducing women’s anxiety, however, it can improve psychological consequences.