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Healthy Moms: Prenatal Counseling for Postpartum Health

Healthy Moms: Prenatal Counseling for Postpartum Health

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04601987
Enrollment
451
Registered
2020-10-26
Start date
2021-02-01
Completion date
2023-06-03
Last updated
2025-01-17

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breastfeeding, Maternal Care Patterns, Pregnancy Related

Keywords

Pregnant, breastfeeding, smokefree

Brief summary

See https://studypages.com/s/healthy-moms-study-765273 This individual-level randomized trial involves pregnant women followed for at least 6 months after delivery, to compare the effects of providing two attention-control counseling interventions designed to increase pregnant women's awareness of either: 1. the maternal health benefits of breastfeeding, or 2. the health benefits of smoke-free homes

Detailed description

The investigators will conduct an individual-level randomized trial involving pregnant women to compare the effects on infant feeding practices of providing pregnant women information about the maternal health benefits of breastfeeding to usual prenatal counseling focused on the infant health benefits of breastfeeding. Participants will be randomly allocated to one of two equal sized groups by research assistants using a web-based random number generator that conceals allocation. Participants will be recruited online via UC Davis' StudyPages website. Screening will occur online at the participant's convenience. When screening criteria have been met, the research coordinator will be notified, and initiate contact with the participant by text and/or phone call to schedule a time to deliver the intervention. Due to social distancing measures that have been put into place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, informed consent will be collected digitally using the Qualtrics platform after potential participants complete a secondary screening survey. Consenting participants will use Qualtrics to complete a baseline/enrollment survey and be randomized and then scheduled for a time to receive their allocated counseling intervention using the Zoom platform. Follow-up surveys will be distributed to participants at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postpartum. Comparators: Participants randomized to the intervention group will receive information about the maternal health benefits of breastfeeding from a research assistant who also will provide information on resources designed to support prenatal and postpartum health, including breastfeeding support groups. Participants will be presented with a series of images to look at while listening to the scripted counseling, including an image developed in 2002 by the Ad Council designed to convey a link between bottle-feeding and insulin use, as well as images developed specifically for use when counseling women about the maternal benefits of breastfeeding. The attention control group will receive usual care from their prenatal care provider that focuses on the infant health benefits of breastfeeding. To control for the potential effects of receiving additional attention from a counselor, pregnant women enrolled in the control arm of this study will receive information from a peer counselor on the health benefits of smoke- and weed-free homes. The investigators will thoroughly train all research staff on the critical importance of delivering only the allocated counseling intervention to each study participant. The investigators will monitor intervention delivery by audio-recording staff interactions with study participants, and providing prompt feedback to research staff, if needed. Intervention Delivery: These scripted counseling interventions were designed to be understood by those with no more than a fifth-grade education and to take less than 5 minutes to deliver. All research staff will be trained by the PI to ensure they understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of study group allocation and delivering only the assigned scripted counseling. After receiving their allocated counseling, participants will be emailed the images and script and encouraged to share this information with the people they anticipate receiving postpartum support from.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALBreastfeeding

Counseling about the maternal health benefits of lactation.

BEHAVIORALSmokefree Homes

Counseling about the importance of smoke-free homes.

Sponsors

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
CollaboratorFED
University of California, Davis
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Nulliparous women who are carrying a singleton pregnancy between 27-37 weeks gestation * Born in the United States * Aged 18-40 years * Able to read English * Have reliable access to a telephone that is able to send and receive text messages * Have reliable access to a smart phone, tablet, computer, or other device with access to the internet

Exclusion criteria

* Women carrying multiple gestations * Diagnosed with HIV or are advised by a clinician not to breastfeed for any other reason * Have undergone mastectomy or breast reduction surgery * Unable to speak English, or who do not have a telephone or respond to text messages * Carrying a surrogate pregnancy or are not planning to parent after giving birth * Became pregnant through use of assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Duration of breastfeedingat 6 months postpartumTotal number of weeks of breastfeeding

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Knowledge of the maternal health benefits of lactation1 month postpartumChange in participant knowledge before and after receipt of this counseling intervention will be assessed by asking participants to respond (true, false, don't know) whether they believe Breastfeeding will… 1. lower my risk of breast cancer. 2. lower my risk of ovarian cancer. 3. lower my risk of developing diabetes. 4. increase my risk of a breast infection. 5. increase my risk of depression \[reverse coded\] 6. make it harder to get my body back after my baby is born. \[reverse coded\] 7. protect my hands from arthritis. 8. lower my blood pressure and risk of heart disease. 9. lower my libido/sex drive. 10. delay my menstrual period after my baby is born. 11. save my family money.
Smoke-free home policy6 months postpartumInvestigators will compare the proportion of individuals who have a smoke-free policy for their homes as assessed by responding with option d when presented with the following options Which of the following statements best describes the rules about smoking inside your home now, even if no one who lives in your home is a smoker? Select ONE answer 1. Smoking is permitted anywhere inside my home 2. Smoking is permitted inside my home by an open window 3. Smoking is allowed in some rooms or at some times 4. No one is allowed to smoke anywhere inside my home
Duration of any breastfeeding or pumping at 24 months postpartum24 months postpartumInvestigators will compare the duration of any breastfeeding or pumping reported through 24 months

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 8, 2026