Personalized Care for Prenatal Stress Reduction & Prevention of Preterm Birth (PTB) Disparities
Personalized Toolkit Building a Comprehensive Approach to Resource Optimization and Empowerment in Pregnancy & Beyond (PTBCARE+) A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) of Personalized Care for Prenatal Stress Reduction and Preterm Birth Disparities Prevention
Who can join
As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.
- Age
- 18 Years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Compensation
- Not stated
Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.
What to expect
No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.
What participation involves
- Visits mentioned: 2 visits
- Procedures mentioned: Urine samples, Questionnaires
Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.
Show the study's own words
- "Blood and urine sample collection and body composition evaluation via InBody scale are optional at the postpartum visit."
- "All participants, regardless of randomization assignment, will have 2 study visits during pregnancy. * Visit 1 (V1) will occur at randomization, 8+0 - 19+6 weeks gestation. * Visit 2 (V2) will occur in mid pregnancy, between 22+0 and 29+6 weeks gestation."
- "Thus, participants are randomized only after Visit 1 surveys are completed."
- Compensation
- Not stated
- Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
- Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
- Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
- Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.
About this study
In plain language
This study tests whether a personalized pregnancy support program called PTBCARE+ can lower stress and help babies be born healthy at or near their due date. It is for pregnant people at high risk of giving birth early. Participants are assigned by chance to get the support program or usual pregnancy care.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a personalized prenatal support program \[(Personalized Toolkit Building a Comprehensive Approach to Resource optimization and Empowerment in Pregnancy \& Beyond, (PTBCARE+)\] works to lower stress and lower the risk of early delivery in pregnant individuals at high-risk for delivering preterm. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program lower patient-reported stress levels during pregnancy? * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program improve biologic measures of stress during pregnancy? * Does the PTBCARE+ patient support program result in a higher chance of delivering a healthy baby at or close to full term? Researchers will compare people who participate in the PTBCARE+ patient support program to those receive usual care to see if the PTBCARE+ patient support program lowers patient-reported stress, improves biologic measures of stress, and increases the chance of delivering a healthy baby at or close to full term. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the PTBCARE+ patient support program or usual prenatal care. All participants will be asked to: * complete 2 study visits during pregnancy - including completing electronic surveys, providing a blood and urine sample, measuring the heart rate variability by a clip or the ear or finger, and body composition evaluation using a simple scale-like device. * complete one study visit postpartum that includes completing electronic surveys, and measuring heart rate variability. Blood and urine sample collection and body composition evaluation via InBody scale are optional at the postpartum visit. People who are randomly assigned to receive the PTBCARE+ support program will receive several resources to help them during pregnancy. These things include items such as: * a stress reduction toolkit; * access to an online website that can also be downloaded as a smart phone app; * the option to receive an electronic massage while in clinic, and more. * additional support gifts provided at routine clinical appointments People who are randomly assigned to receive usual prenatal care will not receive any additional support resources from the study during pregnancy.
Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.
Eligibility
Who can join
- Be pregnant with one baby, from 8 weeks through 19 weeks and 6 days. An ultrasound must confirm how far along the pregnancy is and that the baby is alive.
- The baby’s heartbeat must be at least 120 beats per minute. The baby must be confirmed alive within 7 days before group assignment.
- Have a high risk of early birth through at least one of the risk paths below.
- One risk path is certain health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes before or early in pregnancy, kidney disease, lupus, or an immune condition that can cause blood clots.
- Another risk path is a past pregnancy with one baby affected by pregnancy-related high blood pressure or stillbirth at 16 weeks or later. Limits apply based on the baby’s health and the cause of stillbirth.
- Another risk path is having at least two listed risks. These include no past pregnancy reaching 20 weeks, obesity, a close family member with pregnancy-related high blood pressure, age 35 or older, certain past pregnancy problems, or a gap of at least 10 years between pregnancies. Self-reported Black race, used as a marker for exposure to racism, and certain money, housing, food, insurance, or education needs also count.
- Another risk path is a past early birth of one baby at 16 weeks through 34 weeks and 6 days, or twins at 16 weeks through 27 weeks and 6 days, without major birth defects. The birth must have followed early labor, early water breaking, a weak cervix, or the placenta pulling away too soon.
- Another risk path is certain past or current problems with a short cervix—the opening to the womb—or a past cervix opening that needed stitches. Specific timing and measurement rules apply.
Who can't join
- Signs or a diagnosis of a miscarriage in progress.
- Active early labor or water breaking too early when joining the study.
- A cervix that has already started to open when joining the study.
Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.
Official eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Viable, singleton pregnancy, 8+0 to 19+6 weeks, dated by last menstrual period ± ultrasound using standard obstetric criteria per American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Gestational age at first ultrasound by last menstrual period (LMP) / Ultrasound method / Measurement agreement with LMP required • Up to 8 weeks 6 days / crown rump length / ± 5 days * 9 weeks 0 days to 13 weeks 6 days / crown rump length / ± 7 days * 14 weeks 0 days to 15 weeks 6 days / standard fetal biometry / ± 7 days * 16 weeks 0 days to 19 weeks 6 days / standard fetal biometry / ± 10 days * Gestational dating / fetal viability must be confirmed by ultrasound prior to enrollment / randomization. * Ultrasound report must include documentation of normal fetal heart rate of ≥ 120 beats per minute, or subsequent medical record documentation of auscultation of fetal heart rate ≥ 120 beats per minute. * Viability must be confirmed / re-confirmed within 7 days of randomization. If initial consent occurs early in pregnancy and V1/randomization occur later, viability must be reconfirmed to ensure ongoing eligibility prior to initiating V1 activities (including surveys) and proceeding with randomization. 2. No signs or symptoms of, or clinical diagnosis of, evolving miscarriage, active preterm labor, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes at the time of enrollment. * Cervical dilation at the time of enrollment is an exclusion criterion. However, cervical evaluation and digital cervical exam is not required prior to enrollment. (3a) High a priori risk for medically indicated preterm birth - must meet at least one of the following 3 criteria (maternal medical history, prior pregnancy history, or moderate risk factor history) * miPTB criteria #1: Maternal Medical History - any one of the following: o Known chronic hypertension requiring medications in the 3 months prior to conception or prior to 22 weeks gestation. o At least 2 blood pressure readings 6 hours apart, \<20 weeks gestation, with systolic ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic ≥ 80 mmHg \*regardless of need for medication or formal diagnosis of hypertension in chart\* o Pre-gestational diabetes mellitus. * Diabetes diagnosed \<20 weeks gestation. * Maternal chronic or sub-acute renal disease, including chronic kidney failure, chronic renal insufficiency, glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis, defined as any: \*biopsy proven chronic renal disease history; and/or \*serum creatinine ≥ 1.1 mg/dL at any time during pregnancy prior to enrollment, in the absence of other identifiable transient factors per clinician's assessment (e.g., extreme dehydration, cystitis, pyelonephritis); and/or \*chronic proteinuria, defined as baseline urine protein:creatinine ratio ≥ 0.30 mg/dL or 24 hour total urine protein ≥ 300 mg in the absence of other identifiable transient factors per clinician's assessment (e.g., extreme dehydration, cystitis, pyelonephritis) \*Systemic Lupus Erythematosus * Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome * miPTB criteria #2: Prior pregnancy history - any ONE of the following: o Previous pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy at any gestational age, in a singleton gestation; the fetus must not have had major structural anomalies or aneuploidy. o Previous history of stillbirth ≥ 16+0 weeks in a singleton gestation; the fetus must not have had major structural anomalies or aneuploidy. The stillbirth etiology must not have been attributed to physical trauma (e.g., domestic violence, motor vehicle accident) or illicit drug use (e.g., cocaine use leading to abruption and stillbirth). * miPTB criteria #3: Any two or more of the following moderate risk factors: o Nulliparity, defined as no prior pregnancy to reach at least 20 weeks gestation note that this is the traditional / classic definition of 'nulliparous' and that there is overlap between nulliparity as defined this way and 'preterm birth' due to cervical insufficiency, which allows for deliveries in the 16-19 week gestational age range to be considered as 'preterm births' o Obesity: current or pre-pregnancy body mass index ≥30 kg/m\^2 o Family history: first degree relative with a history of preeclampsia o Advanced maternal age: maternal age ≥ 35 years at estimated date of confinement o Prior adverse obstetric history - one or more of the following: \- history of low birth weight or small for gestational age baby in a singleton gestation, defined as weight \<10% for gestational age and fetal sex; the fetus must not have had major structural anomalies or aneuploidy. \- history of adverse pregnancy outcome in a singleton gestation; the fetus must not have had major structural anomalies or aneuploidy. o Long interpregnancy interval: ≥ 10 year (3650 day) pregnancy interval, defined as the time (in days) between the date of delivery of the last pregnancy to reach ≥ 20 weeks gestation and the first day of the last menstrual period for the current pregnancy. o Black or African-American race (as a proxy for underlying racism) - self-reported. Participants who self-identify as being of more than one racial group will be considered to be of Black race for the purposes of this criterion if one of the racial groups is Black or African-American. * Low socioeconomic status, defined as one or more of the following: housing or food insecurity noted in chart within the last year, self-pay or Medicaid insurance, less than high school education and/or (3b) High a priori risk for spontaneous preterm birth - must meet at least one of the following 2 criteria (prior pregnancy history or current pregnancy course) * sPTB criteria #1: Prior pregnancy history * EITHER a history of a delivery of a singleton, non-anomalous baby between 16+0 and 34+6 weeks gestation or delivery of a twin, non-anomalous pregnancy between 160 /7and 276 /7 weeks gestation due to spontaneous preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of membranes, cervical insufficiency, or placental abruption - Chart documentation of prior preterm birth, the gestational age of the prior preterm birth (referred to as the 'qualifying delivery') should be determined. If the gestational age at delivery is obtained directly from the medical record and more than one gestational age appears, the greater of the two will be used assuming that neither is the 'source document' (i.e. an ultrasound report with a due date, a c-section report, a delivery note, etc). Use the following table as a validation of the previous delivery. For example, if the infant was male and weighed more than 2763 grams (6 pounds, 1.5 ounces) then the patient would be ineligible based on history of a preterm birth criteria. This table should only be used to determine whether the qualifying delivery is most likely to be preterm less than 35 weeks gestation when the gestational age CANNOT be verified/calculated by review of the medical records or is not available in the medical records. Gestational age 90th percentile - boys 90th percentile - girls 33 weeks \> 2488g 5 lbs 7.8 oz \> 2116g 4 lbs 10.6 oz 34 weeks \> 2763g 6 lbs 1.5 oz \> 2379g 5 lbs 3.9 oz 35 weeks \> 3084g 6 lbs 12.8 oz \> 2661g 5 lbs 13.9 oz * Documented history of a prior pregnancy complicated by asymptomatic cervical shortening \<25mm between 16+0 and 23+6 weeks gestation or cervical dilation ≥ 0.5cm requiring cervical cerclage placement prior to 24+0 weeks gestation, even if delivery ultimately occurred ≥ 35 weeks gestation or at term. • sPTB criteria #2: Current pregnancy course * Asymptomatic cervical shortening \<25mm in the current pregnancy, diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound that is performed ≥14+0 weeks gestation, per Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer(RDMS) certified Sonographer or physician with transvaginal ultrasound training program (or similar) qualifications * Cervical cerclage in situ in the current pregnancy due to concern for risk of preterm birth, at the discretion of the primary obstetric provider (4) Ability to provide written, informed consent in English or Spanish (5) Planned prenatal care at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill obstetrics clinics and planned delivery at the University of North Carolina Women's Hospital (Chapel Hill, NC). Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participation in another intervention based clinical trial during pregnancy that is deemed, at the discretion of the investigative team for the current study or the other concurrent study, to conflict with this research and/or confound the study results. o There are some concurrent studies, even those designed to test an intervention, which may be compatible with the current study; this will be reviewed by the investigative leadership team on a case-by-case basis. 2. Previous participation in the PTBCARE+ program in another pregnancy, with randomization to the PTBCARE+ (active intervention) group. 3. Current, ongoing, illicit drug use ≥ 12 weeks gestation. * Use of tobacco and/or marijuana products is not an exclusion. * Receiving treatment for opioid use disorder with methadone, suboxone, or similar in an approved treatment program is not an exclusion. 4. History of radical trachelectomy 5. Planned voluntary termination of pregnancy. 6. Heavy vaginal bleeding or large subchorionic hemorrhage - defined as: * Bleeding as primary reason for unplanned clinic evaluation or emergency room visit within 14 days of potential enrollment * Subjective bleeding accompanied by ≥ 4 point drop in the hematocrit within 14 days of potential enrollment * Subchorionic hemorrhage or abruption on formal ultrasound with a volume ≥ 64 cubic cm (4cm x 4cm x 4cm) within 14 days of potential enrollment 7. Major congenital anomaly such as major structural deficit of the heart, lungs, brain, or other major organ system 1. Mild renal abnormalities, clubfoot, isolated cleft lip/palate, etc. in the fetus are not a reason for exclusion. 2. Isolated 'soft markers' for aneuploidy (such as choroid plexus cysts, echogenic bowel, etc.) are not a reason for exclusion. 3. If a major congenital anomaly is diagnosed \*after\* enrollment, the patient will continue to participate in the study, however, the investigators will plan to analyze the study results with and without these individuals included. 8. Positive aneuploidy screening test (traditional biochemical assay, e.g., quad screen - risk of aneuploidy of 1:25 or higher or cell free deoxynucleic acid (DNA) test result that is screen positive for trisomy 13, trisomy 18, trisomy 21, or sex chromosome abnormality) in the absence of definitive fetal karyotype evaluation. * Definitive fetal karyotype evaluation can only be obtained through direct testing of the tissue from the conceptus - by chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis during pregnancy. * The term "suspected aneuploidy" is commonly used in the medical record but this is not a diagnosis and by itself is not informative and not an exclusion criteria. 9. Cystic hygroma or abnormally thickened nuchal translucency ≥ 3 mm at any time in the current gestation, regardless of subsequent diagnostic testing results. * Note that a cystic hygroma remains an exclusion criterion regardless of subsequent diagnostic testing results because fetuses with this history carry an elevated risk of major congenital heart disease. * Fetal echocardiogram is most accurately performed at 22-24 weeks gestation, which is later than the enrollment gestational age window. 10. Polyhydramnios at or prior to enrollment. o Polyhydramnios is defined as a maximum vertical pocket ≥ 8.0 cm, given that polyhydramnios \<22 weeks has a high likelihood of being associated with congenital anomalies/aneuploidy and/or preterm birth due to preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. 11. For potential participants who meet eligibility criteria ONLY due to prior spontaneous or medically indicated preterm birth: if the prior preterm birth was in a pregnancy complicated by twins, confirmed fetal aneuploidy, or major congenital fetal anomalies in the absence of another pregnancy meeting inclusion criteria they are not eligible. 12. Known HIV positive with viral load greater than 1,000 copies/mL or cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count less than 350/mm\^3 13. Unwillingness to undergo randomization.
Study sites (1)
NC
- University of North Carolina School of Medicine - Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC 27599More trials in Chapel Hill