Sickle-cell screening with partner-violence support for pregnant women in India
Pilot-testing and Implementation of an Integrated Sickle-cell Screening and Violence Prevention Program in Antenatal Care Settings in India (PIVOT)
This program offers routine sickle-cell testing for pregnant women in India and adds counseling and safety support to reduce partner violence after a positive test.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11393307 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are pregnant and attend a participating antenatal clinic in India, you will get a quick solubility blood test for sickle hemoglobin and, if positive, a confirmatory hemoglobin electrophoresis. Women with a positive result and their partners will be offered counseling, education about sickle-cell trait and disease, and violence-prevention support integrated into regular antenatal care. Clinic staff will be trained to deliver these services safely, and the program will track how often violence occurs and how well the supports work. The team will use these pilot results to refine the approach for broader implementation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant women attending participating antenatal clinics in India, especially those who test positive on the initial sickle solubility screen, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, do not attend the participating clinics, or live outside the program area are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help pregnant women learn their sickle-cell status safely and reduce partner violence, improving health for mothers and babies.
How similar studies have performed: Prior local data found higher rates of partner violence after a positive solubility test, and while integrated screening-plus-support programs have helped in other settings, applying them to antenatal sickle-cell screening in India is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Halim, Nafisa — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Halim, Nafisa
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.