Pregnancy Checkup app to lower pregnancy-related illness and deaths
High reach, multi-level digital intervention for Pregnancy-Related and -Associated Morbidity and Mortality (PRAMM) Disparities
This expands a pregnancy app to give pregnant people tailored risk screening, helpful content, and immediate live-chat support to connect them with services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171431 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would use an expanded Pregnancy Checkup app that screens for pregnancy risks, delivers short tailored content, and offers referrals to local services. The app adds features that target four levels of support — you, your support network, your healthcare providers, and your community — and the team will co-create content with community members most affected. The app also gives secure live-chat access to a Community Health Worker who can arrange warm handoffs to local care. This build extends an existing app already integrated with antenatal services in Michigan.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people receiving antenatal care or with smartphone access, especially those from communities with higher pregnancy risks (including Black birthing people), are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, lack smartphone or internet access, or whose needs cannot be addressed through digital referral may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could help identify problems sooner, speed connections to local care, and lower serious pregnancy complications and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: The original Pregnancy Checkup is already in use in Michigan and similar digital screening and referral tools have shown promise, but this multi-level, community-partnered model with live Community Health Worker chat is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ondersma, Steven J — Henry Ford Health + Michigan State University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Ondersma, Steven J
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.