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Interactive, web-based contraceptive tools are reshaping patient-centered reproductive care for women managing long-term health conditions.
Women managing chronic diseases continue to require specialized contraceptive guidance to mitigate maternal and perinatal risks, making accessible digital solutions increasingly integral to patient care. Online decision aids have become key contributors to informed reproductive decision-making by offering tailored, interactive information. This systematic review aimed to analyze the usability, clinical contribution, and impact of these web-based contraceptive decision aids deployed in populations with chronic health ailments.
Researchers executed a comprehensive search across Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Emcare, and the Maternity and Infant Care Database. Additional grey literature and reference lists were screened to capture unpublished or supplementary evidence. Studies were included if they assessed online decision aids featuring a contraceptive decision-making component for women aged 15–50 years with chronic conditions.
Two independent reviewers extracted data, evaluated intervention features, and appraised methodological quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Owing to the wide variability in study designs and outcomes, findings were analyzed narratively. The review identified 10 studies covering 9 unique digital decision aids. Most were conducted in the United States and used mixed designs, including randomized trials, descriptive evaluations, and mixed-methods approaches. The tools targeted women with diverse chronic illnesses, such as:
Many aids integrated personalization, interactive content, and multimedia elements. Across studies, users reported strong satisfaction and high usability. Several tools improved reproductive knowledge, communication with clinicians, and contraceptive uptake. However, evidence on long-term behavioral change was inconsistent, with some studies showing modest but non-significant improvements, and 1 reporting a negative association. The findings concluded that online contraceptive decision aids offered meaningful support by strengthening reproductive knowledge, enhancing communication, and improving user experience for women with chronic conditions.
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Online decision aids for contraceptive choices in women with chronic conditions: A systematic review
Begashaw Melaku Gebresillassie et al.
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