Is Teleultrasound Ready for Obstetric Care?

Meta-analysis of 71 studies finds teleultrasound comparable to standard imaging in selected obstetric applications

By
Jess Allerton
February 24, 2026
2 min

Conexiant

Overview

Revise to specify the context of 'accuracy' and 'feasibility' in relation to conventional ultrasound.

Background

Teleultrasound has emerged as a promising technology to enhance access to obstetric imaging, especially in rural settings where specialist care may be limited. This systematic review included 71 studies across various countries, assessing both synchronous and asynchronous teleultrasound systems. Understanding its diagnostic performance and feasibility is crucial for integrating teleultrasound into standard obstetric care.

Data Highlights

Metric	Value
Pooled Risk Ratio for Fetal Structure Identification	1.02
Area Under the Curve (AUC)	0.93
Pooled Sensitivity	70%
Pooled False-Positive Rate	3%

Key Findings

Teleultrasound demonstrated diagnostic performance comparable to conventional ultrasound.
Pooled risk ratio for fetal structure identification was 1.02, indicating noninferiority.
Overall diagnostic accuracy had an AUC of 0.93.
Pooled sensitivity was 70%, with a low false-positive rate of 3%.
High acceptability reported by both patients and clinicians, especially in reducing travel time.
Emerging applications include patient-operated home ultrasound systems for basic assessments.