30 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
This study will conduct a randomized trial among women with gestational diabetes (GDM). Study of Pregnancy And Neonatal health (SPAN), TIMing of dElivery (TIME) is a randomized trial that will recruit up to 3,450 pregnant women with uncontrolled GDM and randomize the timing of their delivery. Women with GDM who are approached for the trial and are found eligible but do not consent to participating in randomization for delivery will be asked to consent for chart review only (estimated additional n=3,000). The primary objective is to determine the best time to initiate delivery for GDM-complicated deliveries (defined as the time when risk of illness and death for the newborn is the lowest) between 37-39 weeks.
AHA and ACSM recognize lack of exercise is a major risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other CVD risk factors such as obesity. It is important to note that CVD is the sixth leading cause of death and children are more likely to be undiagnosed due to their age and lack of symptoms. Further, according to the CDC, over one-third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese and at increased risk of CVD. Although many programs for children aim to decrease CVD risks and obesity few, if any, programs begin the intervention during prenatal development. Our preliminary findings suggest that regular maternal exercise improves cardiovascular health (lower heart rate, increased heart rate variability), normalizes body fat composition, and improves nervous system and motor tone even after birth. Norepinephrine is essential for fetal development, influences many tissues (heart, nerve cells, skeletal muscle, and fat cells), and can stimulate growth factors. It is believed that exercise hormones, such as norepinephrine, released during maternal exercise influence these growth factors during development. The central hypothesis of this proposal is that regular maternal exercise during pregnancy will improve the health of offspring before and after birth as evidenced by lower resting heart rate, increasing heart rate variability improved neurological maturation, and decreased adiposity. We have three specific aims to test this hypothesis through the Enhanced Neonatal Health and Neonatal Cardiovascular Efficiency Developmentally (ENHANCED) by Mom project (IRB approved #12-002524). Aim 1 will establish the association between maternal exercise during pregnancy and the heart health of offspring before and after birth. Aim 2 will determine the relationship between modes of regular maternal exercise and neonate neurological and muscular maturation as this relates to health of the child after birth. Aim 3 will elucidate the influence of different modes of maternal exercise during pregnancy on fetal and infant body composition as this relates to risk of obesity and CVD disease. These studies will provide novel insight into how different types of maternal exercise during pregnancy influence the overall health of offspring. Furthermore, these findings may have significant implications on the public health as it may provide evidence of pregnancy as the earliest intervention for attenuating cardiovascular disease risk of children.
The purpose of this study is to explore physiological interventions and biomarkers for Apnea of Prematurity in newborn infants.
The purpose of this research study is to find out how delaying cutting the umbilical cord until one minute after delivery of the baby during a cesarean impacts the amount of blood the mother loses during surgery. The study will also examine the benefits to the newborn from delayed cord clamping during cesarean.
This study is an evaluation of the Fresh Rx: Nourishing Healthy Starts program administered by Operation Food Search, a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization. The program provides food and nutrition supports to food insecure pregnant women in conjunction with integrative care services in order to improve health and birth outcomes for both the mother and the child. The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of this approach through a field experiment, and to assess the extent to which these services can provide cost savings to the healthcare system.
Nearly 9 of every 10 pregnant opioid-dependent women report that the current pregnancy was unintended and the majority of non-pregnant opioid-maintained women do not use contraception or use less effective methods like condoms. This proposal aims to further test a novel contraceptive management program to increase use of more effective contraceptives among opioid-maintained women at risk of unintended pregnancy.
Nearly 9 of every 10 pregnant opioid-dependent women report that the current pregnancy was unintended and the majority of non-pregnant opioid-maintained women do not use contraception or use less effective methods like condoms. This proposal aims to develop and test a novel contraceptive management program to increase use of more effective contraceptives among opioid-maintained women and to examine the impact of more effective contraceptive use on condom use. The proposed research may reduce unintended pregnancy among opioid-dependent women without increasing their risk of sexually transmitted infections and the knowledge gained will also have implications for addressing high rates of unintended pregnancy in the general population.
The primary purpose of this pilot quality improvement study is to assess the impact of a brief introductory discussion about Learning Health Care (LHC) and clinical research between a neonatologist and the mothers (and the fathers, if present) of infants eligible for trials of the Neonatal Research Network (NRN) before they are approached for consent by clinical research coordinator (CRC) approach for NRN trial). Mothers will also be given a general information pamphlet addressing the same topic.
This small randomized pilot study will evaluate feasibility and preliminary outcomes of an audio-delivered mindfulness program to reduce psychological distress for mothers with an infant in neonatal intensive care, as compared with an active control condition.
The Partnering with Antenatal Navigators to Transform Health in Pregnancy (PATH) study aims to evaluate whether an antenatal patient navigation program improves maternal health, neonatal health, pregnant persons' experiences, and health care utilization outcomes among low-income pregnant individuals and their neonates. Patient navigation is an individualized, barrier-focused, longitudinal, patient-centered intervention that offers support for a defined set of health services. In this randomized controlled trial, pregnant individuals who are randomized to receive antenatal patient navigation will be compared to pregnant individuals who are randomized to receive usual care. Navigators will support birthing people from before 20 weeks of gestation through 2 weeks postpartum. The PATH intervention will be grounded in understanding and addressing social determinants of health in order to promote self-efficacy, enhance access, and sustain long-term engagement. The main objectives of the study are to: 1. Evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves maternal health outcomes. We hypothesize the PATH model of bundled social- and health systems-focused antenatal patient navigation for racially and ethnically diverse low-income individuals will reduce the incidence of a composite of adverse maternal outcomes all known to be associated with socioeconomic disadvantage and SDoH. We will also investigate maternal health care utilization. 2. Evaluate whether PATH, compared to usual care, improves perinatal health outcomes. We hypothesize PATH will reduce the incidence of a composite of adverse perinatal outcomes. We will also investigate neonatal/pediatric health care utilization. 3. Evaluate patient, clinician, navigator, and healthcare system experiences with PATH in preparation for widespread implementation and dissemination of the PATH obstetric navigation model. This aim will be accomplished through investigating patient-reported outcomes, completing qualitative and process mapping interviews with navigated participants, and completing qualitative and process mapping interviews with clinicians, navigators, and health administrators.
Up to a quarter of the families with preterm infants have unmet social needs, such as housing or job insecurity, which represent adverse social determinants of health (SDOH). Preterm infants are especially vulnerable to the social conditions they grow up in, with sustained impacts on function across multiple organ systems. The goal of this study is to translate an established model of SDOH screening and referral from the outpatient setting to the NICU, thereby maximizing the potential to offset the effects of adverse SDOH on vulnerable mother-preterm infant dyads.
The objective of this study is to develop and pilot test a telehealth-based mental health screening and engagement program that supports parents as their infants transition home from the NICU. The program will use a stepped-care approach to screen parents for depression, anxiety, and PTSD; provide a brief behavioral intervention to those who screen as having at least a low risk of these conditions; and provide a warm hand-off to community mental health services for those at medium to high risk.
Premature very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are susceptible to complications related to infrequent and non-standardized oral care. Although the benefits of frequent standardized oral care are known to reduce oral dybiosis (increased level of potentially pathogenic bacteria) and its associated complications in critically ill adults leading to established evidence-based guidelines, no such information exists for VLBW infants. The proposed study will prospectively follow 40 VLBW infants for 4 weeks following birth. Infants will be randomized into 1 of 2 groups. Standardized oral care will be performed every 3-4 hours (Group 1) and every 12 hours (Group 2). Aim 1 will evaluate the feasibility of frequent standardized oral care, Aim 2 will compare the oral microbiome between groups, and Aim 3 will compare respiratory outcomes including the incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and need for respiratory support between infants receiving standardized oral care every 3-4 hours and every 12 hours. Issues related to recruitment, retention, randomization, acceptance by nursing staff, and treatment fidelity will be examined. Saliva samples will be obtained weekly and analyzed using 16S sequencing, respiratory cultures will be obtained weekly on ventilated infants, and respiratory outcomes will be collected from the medical records.
The study objective is to decrease neonatal mortality and morbidity by elucidating the etiology of system failures during perioperative care. In Aim 1 the investigators will use a novel event discovery method, based on the construct of the nonroutine event (NRE), to efficiently capture dysfunctional clinical microsystem attributes and potentially dangerous conditions. A NRE is defined as any event that is perceived by care providers or skilled observers as a deviation from optimal care based on the clinical situation. In Aim 2, the investigators will perform a comparative analysis of prospectively collected NRE data to the data collected by conventional event reporting methodologies. In Aim 3 the investigators will collaborate with Primary Children's Hospital (PCH) in Salt Lake City, UT to conduct practical pilot testing of tools and measures developed and refined in the first two Aims. Products from Aims 1 \& 2 will include: 1. a taxonomy of NREs and outcomes for perioperative neonates; 2. neonatal Comprehensive Open-Ended Non-routine Event Survey (NCONES) data collection tool; 3. comparisons of 5 established event reporting systems, including their rates, costs and benefits; and 4. a guide to prototype neonatal safety surveillance and risk prediction for hospitals and NICUs. Aim 3 will capitalize on PCH's robust network of NICUs, neonatologists, and patient-level outcome data to conduct a pilot implementation evaluation of the methods and tools developed and refined in Aims 1-2.
We, the investigators, will provide "Just-in-Time" information, physician educational material, to primary care pediatricians of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) graduates at the time of NICU discharge. We will follow the rate of adverse events (deaths, re-hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and missed appointments) for 6 months after NICU discharge. We will assess levels of physician comfort in caring for NICU specific diseases, as well as physician satisfaction with the discharge process. We hypothesize that the provision of "Just-in-Time" information will decrease the rate of adverse events, and make physicians more comfortable in caring for complicated NICU graduates, and more satisfied with the discharge process.
The primary purpose of this population-based study is to quantify and understand the trends in pregnancy outcomes in defined low-resource geographic areas over time, in order to provide population-based data on stillbirths, neonatal and maternal mortality.
The purpose of this study is to determine whether unrecognized maternal hyperglycemia and postprandial lipemia early or late in gestation predicts excess neonatal adiposity.
The purpose of this research study is to gather more information on how eye injury is related to a baby's future development and see if eye function and brain test results can be used, along with current measures, to better diagnose and treat babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Participants will undergo up to two eye exam sessions, involving both Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) and Electroretinogram (ERG) exams.
Specific Aim 1: To determine total serum bilirubin (TSB) and unbound bilirubin (Bf) levels in term and late preterm infants during the first week of life. Specific Aim 2: Measure Bf levels in breast fed and formula fed infants and examine their relationship to unbound fatty acid (FFAu) levels. Specific Aim 3: To demonstrate that phototherapy results in different changes in TSB and Bf.
This is a study to evaluate thermal imaging as a technology to monitor the normal clearing of amniotic fluid from healthy newborns and newborns suspected of having a condition called transient tachypnea of the newborn, or TTN. Thermal images are taken using an imaging device that attaches to an iPhone. This device, commercially known as FLIR ONE, creates a non-identifiable image based on the heat pattern of an object. In this case, the object is a child's chest and back. It does not emit any radiation like an x-ray does.
The purpose of this study is to establish and follow longitudinally a cohort of ethnically diverse pregnant women and their offspring, in order to explore the hypothesis that fetal over-nutrition is associated with obesity, metabolic, and cardiovascular abnormalities in the offspring.
This study evaluates the infant's feeding skill level at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit. The goal is to determine whether the ability to "full feed by volume" implies "full skill development" for infant oral feeding.
The goal of this project is to develop a new noninvasive ultrasound based technique, called vibro-acoustic analysis (VAA), for evaluation of infant bone health with particular application in assessment of bone health in premature infants who are at risk for bone disease.
Pregnant women are a vulnerable and high-risk population, as COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk preterm birth, cesarean section, and maternal critical care. This study will examine the factors that impede testing for SARS-CoV-2 (the causative virus among pregnant women), help determine optimal testing strategies by evaluating the necessity of testing for asymptomatic disease in pregnancy, inform prenatal care plans by assessing the full impact of infection, and contribute to a provider's ability to counsel women and create prenatal care plans if they are pregnant or considering pregnancy.
This study is being done to see if outcomes for both a premature infant's parents and the infant born prematurely who have spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be improved through parent cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions.
The impact of parental opioid use disorder and other substance use exposure on child welfare and the healthcare system is undeniable. Between 2000 and 2009, the number of delivering mothers using or dependent on opiates rose nearly five-fold, and it is estimated that 48-94% of children exposed to opioids in utero will be diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a set of behavioral and physiological complications resulting from abrupt substance withdrawal at birth. Opioid abuse is usually coupled with use of other substances, and research has demonstrated that children born to parents with substance use disorders are three to four times more likely to suffer abuse or neglect. Currently, the standard of care for pregnant women who are being treated for opiate dependence at Boston Medical Center (BMC) is to receive all their prenatal care in the RESPECT Clinic, an innovative program of the BMC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology designed to treat addiction during the prenatal and early postnatal period. Once the child is born, BMC staff files a report of suspected child abuse and neglect in accordance with the Massachusetts General Laws section 51A. The state Department of Children and Families makes a determination regarding the disposition of these families. Medically, most of these children are treated in-patient at BMC for NAS and then discharged to follow-up with routine pediatric primary care. Currently, approximately 85% of infants born exposed to opioids go home with their mothers, and the remainder receive substitute care, either with other family members or via foster care. This investigation is a randomized controlled trial of RESPECT-Plus, a continuum of promising and evidence-based practices designed to strengthen family protective factors and improve health permanency and well-being outcomes for children born to mothers in treatment for opioid use disorder. Anticipated outcomes of the intervention include fewer reports of supported child abuse or neglect filings in the child's first year of life, fewer days in out-of-home placement; fewer terminations of parental rights in the child's first year of life; and improvements in family functions overall (e.g. improved access to basic needs/social determinants of health, improved parental resilience, and decreased maternal depression).
The goal is to develop, refine, and test the feasibility and acceptability of a dyadic, resiliency intervention ("Resilient Families;" R-FAM) that aims to reduce emotional distress and improve relationships among parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). To achieve this goal, my aims are three-fold: (1) develop R-FAM using stakeholder input from interviews with parent dyads and focus groups with NICU staff; (2) optimize R-FAM through an open pilot with pre/post assessments and exit interviews; and (3) test R-FAM for feasibility and acceptability through a randomized clinical trial of R-FAM compared with a minimally enhanced usual control (MEUC).
The goal of this clinical trial is to test an enhanced version of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP-NextGen) that is tailored to young women in childbearing years. The investigators will recruit 360 women aged 18-39 years with overweight/obesity who are not currently pregnant, but likely to conceive within 24 months. Women will be randomized to NDPP-NextGen or a usual care control group. The NDPP-NextGen group will participate in the adapted NDPP online group class across 12 months, and the control group will get a packet of information about how to be healthy before, during and after pregnancy. The main goals of the study are: 1. to assess effects of NDPP-NextGen on pre-pregnancy blood sugar and early pregnancy BMI 2. to assess effects of NDPP-NextGen on weight gain and behavioral outcomes during pregnancy 3. to explore effects of NDPP-NextGen on infant's percentage of fat tissue at birth All participants will complete up to 4 research visits: baseline, conception, mid-pregnancy, and delivery. These visits will include: 1. Questionnaires about health, diet, activity, smoking, self-confidence, and depression 2. Body size measurements 3. Fasted blood draws Participants will also be asked to weigh themselves weekly using home scales that are connected to the research database. At the delivery visit, investigators will measure the baby's body size and collect a cord blood sample.
The purpose of this research is to study two different approaches to exercise during pregnancy that investigators believe will result in improved health for moms and babies. The investigators are trying to determine if the two types of exercise programs (supervised \& home exercise) result in health improvements for moms and babies. The investigators also want to see if the tests and questionnaires used in the study can detect changes in a mom's aerobic fitness, quality of life (QOL), fatigue, sleep quality, depression, and weight change throughout pregnancy and 6-months after birth.
Based on success with telephone follow up for other groups of medically fragile infants, we designed an innovative model of post-hospital comprehensive and coordinated follow-up for infants with chronic lung disease. In this model, which we refer to as community-based follow-up, medical management was coordinated by a nurse specialist, through frequent telephone contacts with the infants' primary caregiver. This model of follow up care was compared, in a randomized trial, with the more traditional model - multidisciplinary medical center-based care. We hypothesized that community-based care would lead to health and developmental outcomes similar to those observed with center-based care.