Mobile Health Applications Used in Perinatal Period and Nursing Roles

With the development of information and communication technologies, mobile health (m-health) applications have become a part of traditional health applications. The use of m-health applications to improve the pregnant, fetus, mother and newborn health has increased. M-health applications are used in the preconceptional period to improve the health behaviour of couples, to follow and evaluate the health status of pregnant woman and fetus in the gestational period, to inform women about the gestational period, and to improve health life-style behavior. There are many portable m-health applications such as tele-ultrason, mobile integrated doppler device in the follow-up of pregnant women who have limited access to health services. In addition, there are mobile applications that can follow the birth symptoms of pregnant women and provide psychological support during birth. Mobile partographs are used to manage birth process effectively. There are also mobile health applications to develop clinical skills of healthcare professionals about birth process. The applications used in postpartum focus on supporting breastfeeding process, avoiding pospartum complications and postpartum depression. In this whole special process, the use of m-health applications also contributes to the development of nursing care and education, and communication between multidisciplinary teams. The aim of this review is to research mobile health applications from preconception period to postpartum period and the related nursing approach.