Mother Infant Retention for Health: MIR4Health

Mother Infant Retention for Health (MIR4HEALTH) is an innovative implementation science study focused on testing an effective multicomponent strategy to improve linkage and retention of newly identified HIV-infected pregnant women accessing maternal child health (MCH) services in Nyanza Province, Kenya. MIR4HEALTH is distinguished by several innovations including the recognition that newly identified HIV-infected pregnant woman are especially vulnerable to poor retention within PMTCT services and that both mother and child must be retained in care to ensure optimal health outcomes.

The study is a randomized trial to compare the effectiveness of a novel strategy using Active Patient Follow-Up (APFU) to the current standard of care (SOC) routinely provided for the retention of women and their exposed infants postpartum. The proposed APFU includes a package of evidence-based interventions including health education, provision of phone and short message service (SMS) appointment reminders, active tracking of patients for linkage and retention, and individualized retention and adherence support. Patients enrolled in the APFU intervention arm will complete three antenatal study visits after enrollment as well as two postnatal study visits with their infants at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum. Laboratory blood specimens will be collected from mothers and infants at two separate visits to assess viral load and and drug levels. Additionally, all staff will be offered a chance to participate in an interview assessing the feasibility and acceptability of APFU.

Study participants will be recruited from various clinics in the Nyanza Province in Kenya. This study will enroll pregnant women who test positive for HIV during their first antenatal visit and have no prior HIV diagnosis. Upon live birth, the infants of participating women will also be included in the study. The study will enroll 214 newly-infected pregnant women, with 107 participants in the APFU arm (intervention) and 107 participants in the SOC arm. Infants born to women enrolled in the study will also be included so there will be a total of 214 mother-infant pairs, totaling 428 participants.

Inclusion criteria

• Documented HIV-infection according to two finger-prick rapid tests (both previously diagnosed and newly detected)
• Confirmed pregnancy by urine pregnancy test or clinical assessment
• Age 16 years or older
• Able to provide informed consent for research
• Fluent in Luo or English
• Own a cell phone or have access to one in their households
• Live born infants of women enrolled in the study

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who fail to meet any of the inclusion criteria will be excluded
• Significant obstetric condition documented at the first antenatal visit requiring urgent referral to another facility for specialized obstetric care (e.g., significant hypertension or active bleeding per vagina).
• Denial of HIV status or refusal to initiate ART/ARV prophylaxis.
• Stated intention to move from study site area during the pregnancy or within six months postpartum.