Telehealth adaptation of perinatal mental health mother-infant group programming for the COVID-19 pandemic

NIH National Library of Medicine: Telehealth adaptation of perinatal mental health mother-infant group programming for the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing isolation stressed pregnant and postpartum women and their families pervasively. A new study, that compares 2019 in-person and 2020 telehealth services during the period from mid-March through mid-December in each year, found that the Maternal Postpartum Peer Support Group participation increased with the transition to telehealth, with 27 individuals with over 100 group-based visits in 2020. Twenty-five mother–infant postpartum pairs initially enrolled in the 12-week multicomponent Mother–Infant Therapy Group (M-ITG) during 2019 in-person services, and 16 completed the program (36 percent non-completion rate). The authors highlighted the importance of increased coverage of telehealth even after the pandemic ends, since telehealth may be one option to increase access to populations who have public insurance and offer earlier intervention, which is critical during the first year of life.