Psychosocial Implications of Prenatal Telehealth Genetic Counselling: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: Telehealth is a growing service delivery model in clinical genetics and genetic counselling. Despite its popularity, telehealth genetic counselling (TGC) is often not incorporated into prenatal genetic services. Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed, original research articles, which examined the psychosocial implications (e.g. satisfaction) of prenatal TGC. Using the PubMed database, searches were conducted using the following key terms: “Telehealth Genetic Counselling”, “Prenatal Genetics Telehealth” and “Telegenetics”. Results: The search returned 82 articles; only five articles assessed the psychosocial implications of prenatal TGC. The TGC delivery methods varied among studies, but results consistently revealed positive responses, most notably patient satisfaction. Conclusions: Further use and research of TGC are needed to better understand the social implications of this service delivery model for prenatal populations. This information is essential to guide clinical care for prenatal populations.