The Impact of Virtual Doula Services on Birth Outcomes in Rural Communities

Part of paid clinical trials in Arlington, Virginia.

Sponsor
RAND
Study ID
NCT07293741
Status
Not Yet Recruiting

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Conditions

  • Birth
  • Maternal Health
  • Pregnancy
  • Telehealth

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
FEMALE
Age
18 Years - 45 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Virtual doula support — OTHER
    Participants randomized to the intervention arm will receive access to up to 4 scheduled doula visits through Pacify's mobile phone app. All visits will be virtual. Participants may also access the library of resources on the app and text with their doula on demand.
  • Ebook — OTHER
    Participants will receive an ebook on parenting.

Study Details

This study will assess the impact of virtual doula care on birth and postnatal outcomes among rural mothers. The goal of virtual doula services is to improve access to care in underserved communities and decrease urban-rural differences in key maternal health outcomes including mode of birth (cesarean vs vaginal) and birth satisfaction. By implementing a digital randomized controlled trial, the study team will efficiently recruit a national sample of rural pregnant women to provide evidence of the effectiveness of virtual doula care, the appropriateness of virtual visits for different care and support needs, and the role of virtual care in improving maternal health.

Key Dates

Start date
Sep 30, 2026
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2028
Completion
Dec 31, 2029

Study Design

Enrollment
614 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Arms

  • Active Comparator: Active Comparator Arm
    This arm will receive a free ebook on parenting. The care that they receive for pregnancy and birth will be care as usual.
  • Experimental: Virtual Doula Support
    This arm will receive up to 4 scheduled visits with doulas via a mobile phone app. Visits can be used any time throughout the perinatal period, including postpartum.

Primary Outcome Measure

Birth type [ Time Frame: Assessed at 3 weeks postpartum ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
RANDArlingtonVirginia22202
RAND Washington Office
[email protected]
703-413-1100

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