Category: Computers
Poster Session IV
An enterprise-level benefits mobile solution in the United States allows pregnant members to track daily symptoms during their pregnancy to detect adverse conditions earlier; read educational content about evidenced-based approaches to reducing the risk of a Cesarean section, such as building a birth team, selecting certified nurse midwives as providers if appropriate, understanding elective vs. medically-necessary Cesarean sections, and managing conditions like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes; and interact with licensed clinicians to answer clinical questions through the app. Participants qualified for inclusion if they were enrolled in the pregnancy solution at any gestational age, were enrolled into a qualifying insurance plan, and were between 15 and 44 years of age. Engagement frequency was defined as the average number of times a user used the solution in a 30-day period throughout their pregnancy, stratified into four cohorts: less than 4 sessions, 4-16 sessions, 17-32 sessions, and greater than 32 sessions. Cesarean section rates were sourced from claims data. A Chi-square test was performed to assess statistical significance between engagement cohorts and Cesarean section rates.
Results: A total of 519 participants qualified for inclusion in analysis. Cesarean section rates ranged from 20.8% for participants engaging between 16-32 sessions per month and 34.2% for participants engaging less than 4 sessions per month. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) relationship between engagement dosage and C-section rates.
Conclusion: Given almost one in three pregnant people deliver by C-section in the United States annually, preventative approaches are required to reduce the national C-section rate. These results suggest that digital solutions designed to engage users on a daily basis can deliver evidenced-based prevention interventions aimed at positively impacting behavior change to reduce personal risk of Cesarean section.
Shannon Malloy, BS (she/her/hers)
Senior Research and Data Associate
Ovia Health
Tamika Simpson, BS, MPH
Care Advocate Lead
Ovia Health
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Leslie Saltzman, DO, MBA
Chief Medical Officer
Ovia Health
Boston, Massachusetts, United States