Saving Mother and Baby With Text Messaging

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Bleeding; Infection; Malnutrition; Complications
• Interventions: Other: health education

• Registration Number: NCT01775150
• Lead Sponsor: Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Brief Summary

We plan to integrate WHO educational material using mobile phone text messaging, target on pregnant women in remote rural areas in China. We hypothsized that text messaging can have major impact on reducing maternal and infant deaths in rural China because text messaging is accessible, acceptable, and affordable.

Detailed Description

1. Sampling method:

Random sampling method will be used. Counties in Huaihua area of Chinese province of Hunan will be randomly allocated to intervention and non-intervention groups.

2. The intervention:

Mobile phone text messages containing maternal and newborn health care education material will be sent to mothers-to-be at the first, second and third trimester, and again postpartum period.

3. Statistical analysis:

We will first compare the baseline characteristics (including the average income, adult educational level, and maternal and perinatal mortality rates in the past two years) between the 2 arms of experiment. For costs data, total costs, costs per participating woman, and costs per maternal/infant death avoided will be reported. For primary outcomes, we will determine and report rate ratios, risk differences, and numbers needed to treat (NNT) from the experimental arm (i.e., mobile phone text messaging), using the usual care arm (no text messaging) as the reference. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals will be expressed as the effect measures. We will estimate the adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals by regression analysis. Mixed models taking consideration of multi-level measures (e.g., mortality and morbidity measured at individual level and intervention measured at village level) will be used in the regression analysis (Donner and Klar, 2000).

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2011-10
• Status Verified: 2013-01
• Study First Submitted: 2013-01-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-01-22
• Last Update Submitted: 2013-01-22
• Study First Posted: 2013-01-24
• Last Update Posted: 2013-01-24
• Primary Completion: 2013-03
• Study Completion: 2013-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 5646

Inclusion Criteria

• women who were registered by local Maternal Child Health unit during the study period

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
health education	health education	health education via text messaging

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neonatal death	28 days	28 days after birth

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Maternal death	300 days	From conception to 42 days postpartum

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ottawa Hospital Research Institue; 🇨🇦 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada