Overview
The primary objective of this research is to conduct a randomized clinical trial to examine the impact of nurse-coordinated, doula-delivered postpartum support (intervention arm) on postpartum health care utilization, health outcomes, and patient-reported experiences compared with standard postpartum care (control arm) among individuals with preterm births \<34 weeks' gestation requiring neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission.
Description
This study will employ a randomized controlled trial design. Participants will be recruited from Prisma Health Richland Hospital and may be enrolled during late pregnancy (including individuals on bed rest), in a postpartum unit, or while their infant is admitted to the NICU. Inclusion criteria will be English speaking individuals ≥18 years old on Medicaid insurance, who delivered a baby \<34 weeks' gestation, and whose baby will be admitted to the NICU. The control arm of the trial will receive standard postpartum care, while the intervention arm will receive doula postpartum support and nurse-coordinated postpartum care, mental health screening and referral, and consistent follow-up for iron deficiency anemia.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age above 18 at time of delivery of infant
- English-speaking
- Medicaid insurance coverage at the time of delivery, either as primary or secondary coverage
- Delivery before 34 weeks' gestation
- Infant admitted to the NICU, 10 days old or less
Exclusion Criteria:
- Stillbirth
- Infant death in the delivery room
- Infant with severe congenital anomalies expected to result in death shortly after birth
- Inability to provide informed consent
- Inability to visit the infant in the NICU at least once per week
- More than 10 days postpartum
