Maternal Healthcare Access and Maternal Electronic Service Delivery in Resource-Constrained Environments: A Systematic Literature Review on Frameworks, Approaches, and Insights

Abstract

Ensuring the well-being of mothers and newborns is contingent upon guaranteeing access to maternal health services. However, marginalized communities in Developing Countries (DCs) often face obstacles in accessing these critical services, primarily due to limitations in the strategies and methods used for delivering maternal healthcare. These barriers encompass various challenges, such as geographical remoteness, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic disparities. Additionally, the limited availability of trained healthcare professionals and insufficient medical facilities exacerbate the situation. Overcoming these challenges necessitates a comprehensive review of the existing literature to find the best practices for integrating sensitive interventions, community engagement, and innovative technological solutions for the subject under investigation. The study was motivated by the imperative to investigate the integration of maternal healthcare services with e-services and assess the effectiveness and efficiency of existing approaches for accessing maternal e-services. This was driven by a sustained objective of enhancing maternal health service delivery using technologically supported platforms. The study utilized a systematic literature review analysis, adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) model. This rigorous approach ensured comprehensive coverage and transparency in selecting and analyzing relevant studies. The process involved systematically searching online databases using a keyword search technique to capture studies pertinent to maternal healthcare services and maternal e-services delivery. The results of the study highlighted numerous potential e-services for improving maternal healthcare, yet their implementation appears uncertain due to the limited effectiveness of existing approaches, which predominantly rely on traditional methods. While several e-service frameworks exist to guide maternal healthcare delivery, they predominantly focus on textual and voice-based maternal education, with limited attention to multimedia formats. To clearly understand this gap, the study developed a conceptual framework delineating the current state of maternal e-service delivery, emphasizing existing domains, and proposing a desired state that integrates potential e-services. This study emphasizes the urgency of exploring how technology-driven frameworks, especially those centered on mobile platforms, can integrate potential e-services to enhance maternal healthcare delivery. Bridging this gap holds the promise of revolutionizing maternal healthcare, making it more accessible and effective for women in need worldwide.