The effect of e-health interventions on meeting the needs of individuals with infertility: a narrative review.

ABSTRACT

Background: The mental health and well-being of millions of people worldwide are negatively impacted by infertility. A promising solution to meet the needs of people suffering from infertility is e-health interventions, such as online counseling and support groups. This study aims to review the current literature on e-health interventions and how they impact people with infertility. Main body of the abstract Relevant studies were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Articles were entered into the EndNote software and screened for duplicates and relevance. Two authors then reviewed full-text articles independently, with a third person resolving any disagreements. Thirteen studies conducted between 2007 and 2022 were identified. The interventions aimed to meet various needs, including training on drug use (n = 23), lifestyle modifications (n = 1), periconceptional behavior modifications (n = 1), drug management (n = 1), IVF training (n = 4), psychological support to reduce distress (n = 4), and promoting a positive sexual self-concept (n = 1). Short conclusion: The limited number of e-health interventions for infertile patients, the heterogeneity of interventions, and the lack of long-term effectiveness data make it challenging to compare e-health interventions to nonelectronic alternatives. However, the increasing use of technology in healthcare, especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, suggests that e-health educational interventions such as those using the Internet, psychological support, and patient interaction will continue to play a crucial role in healthcare. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s43043-023-00137-7.