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SIMG had marginal usability and low uptake among pregnant women

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Research area:health-policy-serviceshealth-services-mgmt

What the study found

The study found that the SIMG, a web-based telehealth system for pregnancy monitoring, had marginal usability and suboptimal uptake in this pilot sample. Most participants, however, said they would be willing to use it in a future pregnancy.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors suggest that telehealth tools like SIMG may help support prenatal care by helping identify warning signs earlier and extending access to care. They also conclude that successful use depends on improving usability, engagement, and confidence in digital health tools.

What the researchers tested

The researchers piloted the Integrated Pregnancy Monitoring System, or SIMG, a web-based application that uses expert systems, decision trees, and risk calculators for remote pregnancy follow-up. They contacted 111 pregnant participants from the REBRACO study, asked them to complete the System Usability Scale and a telephone interview, and analyzed uptake and usability with descriptive statistics and regression analyses.

What worked and what didn't

Among the 54 participants included in the analysis, the mean System Usability Scale score was 67.5 out of 100, which the authors classify as marginal usability. Uptake was 47.1%, and only 52.9% of participants used the tool more than once; 40.7% scored above 70, which indicates acceptable usability, and nearly 88% said they would use it in future pregnancies. The regression analysis found no significant differences in usability scores by participant characteristics.

What to keep in mind

The study was a small cross-sectional pilot with substantial nonresponse and incomplete data, so the findings are limited to this sample. The abstract also notes likely barriers such as limited time, lack of internet access, and technologic illiteracy, but it does not provide a formal measurement of those barriers.

Key points

  • SIMG, a web-based telehealth tool for pregnancy monitoring, showed marginal usability in this pilot study.
  • Uptake was suboptimal: 47.1% of invited participants registered and logged in at least once.
  • Only 52.9% of participants used the tool more than once.
  • Nearly 88% of respondents said they would use SIMG in a future pregnancy.
  • No significant differences in usability scores were found based on participant characteristics.

Disclosure

Research title:
SIMG had marginal usability and low uptake among pregnant women
Authors:
Charles M'poca Charles, Gabriel Valente Tozatti, Cristiano Torezzan, Renato Teixeira Souza, Maria Laura Costa, José Guilherme Cecatti, Rodolfo C. Pacagnella
Institutions:
Escuela Superior Politécnica del Chimborazo, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)
Publication date:
2026-04-02
DOI:
10.1002/ijgo.70996
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by gpt-5.4-mini (OpenAI). The original authors did not write or review this post.

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