Phone-based education and group support for new mothers in India
Effectiveness of an mHealth Interactive Education and Social Support Intervention for Improving Postnatal Health
Weekly phone-led education and moderated group chats help pregnant and new mothers in India with breastfeeding, postpartum care, and social support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11373426 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join in late pregnancy, you'll get two prenatal and then weekly postpartum audio sessions led by nurse-midwives, plus a text chat group for six months after birth. The program, called MeSSSSage, uses culturally tailored, provider-moderated small groups so you can ask providers questions, get referrals for in-person care, and connect with other mothers. Researchers will randomly assign 2,100 women to either this intervention or usual care and then follow breastfeeding, postpartum contraception needs, and other maternal and newborn health outcomes. Earlier pilot testing showed the approach was acceptable, feasible, and suggested preliminary benefits in similar communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant women in peri-urban or rural India who can join audio sessions and participate in group text chats and who enroll in late pregnancy are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Women without reliable phone access, who cannot join scheduled group calls or texts, or who need immediate in-person medical care may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase exclusive breastfeeding, reduce unmet postpartum contraceptive needs, and improve timely access to care and social support for mothers and infants.
How similar studies have performed: A small pilot of the MeSSSSage intervention showed high acceptability and preliminary positive signals, but larger randomized trials are still underway.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: El Ayadi, Alison M — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: El Ayadi, Alison M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.