Review of Mobile Apps for Women With Anxiety in Pregnancy: Maternity Care Professionals’ Guide to Locating and Assessing Anxiety Apps

Abstract

Background Mental health and pregnancy apps are widely available and have the potential to improve health outcomes and enhance women’s experience of pregnancy. Women frequently access digital information throughout their pregnancy. However, health care providers and women have little information to guide them toward potentially helpful or effective apps. Objective This review aimed to evaluate a methodology for systematically searching and reviewing commercially available apps that support pregnant women with symptoms of anxiety in order to assist maternity care professionals in identifying resources that they could recommend for these women. Methods A stepwise systematic approach was used to identify, select, describe, and assess the most popular and highly user-rated apps available in the United Kingdom from January to March 2021. This included developing a script-based search strategy and search process, writing evaluation criteria, and conducting a narrative description and evaluation of the selected apps. Results Useful search terms were identified, which included nonclinical, aspirational, and problem-based phrases. There were 39 apps selected for inclusion in the review. No apps specifically targeted women with anxiety in pregnancy. Of the 39 apps included in the review, 33 (85%) focused solely on mind-body techniques to promote relaxation, stress reduction, and psychological well-being. Only 8 of the 39 (21%) apps included in the review reported that health care professionals had contributed to app development and only 1/39 (3%) provided empirical evidence on the effectiveness and acceptability of the app. The top 12/39 (31%) apps were evaluated by 2 independent reviewers using the developed criteria and scores. There was a small negative correlation between the reviewers’ scores and app user rating scores, with higher user rating scores associated with lower reviewer scores. Conclusions App developers, publishers, and maternity care professionals should seek advice from women with lived experience of anxiety symptoms in pregnancy to locate, promote, and optimize the visibility of apps for pregnant women. There is a lack of resources that provide coping strategies based on current evidence for the treatment of anxiety in pregnancy. Maternity care providers are limited in their ability to locate and recommend acceptable and trustworthy apps because of the lack of information on the evidence base, development, and testing of apps. Maternity care professionals and women need access to libraries of trusted apps that have been evaluated against relevant and established criteria.

Safety considerations for assessing the quality of apps used during pregnancy: A scoping review

“…Almost half ( n = 6) of the included reviews assessed general pregnancy-monitoring and education apps, 10 , 33 – 35 , 41 , 43 whilst two reviews assessed apps focused on nutrition, 18 , 32 two evaluated physical activity apps, 17, 42 two evaluated mental health apps, 39 , 44 one evaluated apps providing guidance on decreased foetal movement, 40 one evaluated gestational diabetes mellitus prevention apps, 37 one evaluated preeclampsia apps, 38 and one appraised apps containing information on prenatal genetic testing. 36 The included reviews assessed an average of 27 apps (range 2–64) each, comprising a total of 445 apps included in this review.…”

“… 33 , 37 Seven reviews used content analyses to evaluate the accuracy of the content with respect to national recommendations or clinical guidelines. 17, 18 , 32 , 34 , 35 , 40 , 44 One review examined the risk recommendations made by apps and their associated evidence using the social amplification and attenuation of risk framework (SARF). 41 One review assessed the apps’ accountability—authors credited, authors’ affiliation, sponsorship disclosure, whether the app had been modified recently, and the provision of information sources or references.…”

Users’ perceptions of the “My Medicine” mobile app usability

“…Text messaging and mobile phone applications are perceived as helpful tools for medication adherence, especially for elders and pregnant women. 22 , 23 In terms of the dimensions of the device, of course, people will prefer a handphone that is only a handful of hands rather than having to carry a heavy computer or laptop. To perform a task or activity is more profitable than a computer.…”

The effect of the Yara smartphone application on anxiety, sleep quality, and suicidal thoughts in patients with major depressive disorder in Iran: a randomized controlled trial

“…Yoga and exercise videos are available in the application, which can help patients reduce stress. Moreover, using soothing instrumental music (such as sounds and melodies from nature) in this application can help reduce anxiety and promote restful sleep among patients [ 30 ]. When patients use the application, they become more aware of their surroundings and events, feel more in control, and can better control their thoughts, actions, and emotions.…”