Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07295015

Digital Maternal Support Tool Implementation

The goal of this trial is to learn if a smartphone app designed to provide postpartum support is acceptable to new mothers in Pennsylvania. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* How easy is the app is to use? * Does the app meet the needs of new parents? * Is using the app associated with better understanding of critical postpartum symptoms? * Is using the app associated with endorsement of positive parenting statements?

Participants will:

* Use a postpartum support app on their smartphones for 8 weeks * Answer survey questions about their experience

Recruiting

Interested in participating?

Request Info

Key information

Conditions

Age range

18 year–45 year

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Anne-Marie Rick, MD, MPH, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

610-349-5571

About this study

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a smartphone app designed to provide postpartum education, screening and tracking, and positive parenting support for newly postpartum English-language speakers in Pennsylvania. This trial will also examine the preliminary effectiveness of the smartphone app for identifying symptoms and supporting positive parenting beliefs by measuring knowledge and attitude changes from pre-app use to post-app use.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Recently delivered one or two live births at hospital recruitment site
  • 18-45 years of age
  • Can participate in English
  • Has smartphone access for at least two months (study duration)

Exclusion criteria

  • Did NOT recently deliver one or two live births at hospital recruitment site
  • <18 or >45 years of age
  • Cannot participate in English
  • Does not have smartphone for at least two months (study duration)

Treatment and study plan

Smartphone Application

Other

The smartphone app is designed to provide postpartum education, screening and tracking, and positive parenting support for newly postpartum English-language speakers in Pennsylvania.

Primary outcomes

  1. Acceptability of App

    Time frame: Day 10, Week 4, and Week 8 of study participation

    20 questions tailored from the Unified Theory of Acceptance of Use of Technology (UTAUT) asked at 3 study timepoints: 10 days, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. 11 of the 20 questions are repeated across timepoints that assess the smartphone app (e.g., "The amount of information in [the app] is what I need" or "Overall, I like [the app]"). The remaining 9 are specific to distinct features of the app that are made available to the user at specific timepoints (e.g., "I like the way the healing check-in looks and feels"; "I like the way the [2-month] baby milestones look and feel"). Answers are measured on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from (1)strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree (5), unless reverse-coded. Means and standard deviations will be calculated for each item, with higher responses indicating higher levels of acceptability.

  2. Feasibility of App Use

    Time frame: From enrollment (baseline) to the end of study participation at 8 weeks.

    Feasibility will be measured using rate of engagement. Engagement will be evaluated by the number of study weeks that users uniquely access the smartphone app.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Knowledge - postpartum symptoms

    Time frame: Enrollment (baseline), day 10, week 4, and week 8 of study participation

    From a list of 14 postpartum symptoms, participants will be asked to classify the symptom with the appropriate response: monitor at home, call your provider, or call 911/seek emergency care. Baseline knowledge will be measured at enrollment based on the number correct out of 14, with follow-up measurements taken at 10 days, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.

  2. Attitudes - positive parenting

    Time frame: Enrollment (baseline), day 10, week 4, and week 8 of study participation

    From a list of 10 statements focused on parenting practices, participants will rate the statements from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). Example statements include, "Skin-to-skin contact improves baby health and development," "Babies need strict routines" (reverse coded), and "Infants should be fed when they show hunger cues." These responses are summed, with higher scores indicating stronger endorsement of positive parenting. These measurements are taken as a baseline measurement at enrollment, and then again at 10 days, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.

Other outcomes

  1. Health services utilization

    Time frame: Day 10, week 4, and week 8 of study participation

    Well-visit (maternal) and check-up (infants) attendance are surveyed on day 10, week 4, and week 8 (e.g., "Has your baby (or twins) had their first well visit with their pediatrician yet?" or "Have you attended a postpartum check-up?"). Non-routine healthcare utilization is surveyed at week 4 and week 8 (e.g., "In the last 4 weeks, did your baby (or twins) have a visit at an emergency department?"or "In the last 8 weeks, did you call, message or schedule a visit with your Obstetrician or Primary Care Provider for a reason other than a postpartum check-up?"). Distributions for each response will be used for analysis.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Tamar Krishnamurti, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

412-383-5556

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pittsburgh

Other

Collaborators

  • Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11

Registry information

Official study title

Digital Maternal Support Tool Implementation: Research to Inform a Statewide Postpartum App Implementation Strategy

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Dec 19, 2025
Registry last updated
Dec 19, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.