Delivering HOPE: healthy food and grocery support during pregnancy
Delivering HOPE (Helping Women Optimize Prenatal Equity)
This project will test whether providing pregnant people with healthy food and grocery funds during pregnancy reduces excessive weight gain compared with enhanced usual care.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 1440 (estimated) |
| Ages | 16 Years to 44 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | University of Arkansas Academic / other |
| Locations | 8 sites (Corning, Arkansas and 7 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT06814509 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a multi-site randomized controlled trial enrolling 1,440 pregnant people across three Arkansas community clinics who will be randomized about 1:1 to Delivering HOPE or enhanced standard of care. The enhanced standard of care arm receives standard nutritional and gestational weight gain counseling, WIC/SNAP enrollment assistance, and referrals to food resources, while the Delivering HOPE arm receives the same services plus cash/food support totaling $1,000–$3,000 during pregnancy depending on household size. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants who experience excessive gestational weight gain and outcomes will be compared between arms. Eligible participants are 16–44 years old, ≤18 weeks gestation, speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese, and can provide a valid email address.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people aged 16–44 at or before 18 weeks gestation who receive care at one of the participating clinics and speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese.
Not a fit: People beyond 18 weeks gestation, outside the age range, not receiving care at the participating clinics, or already food secure may be unlikely to gain additional benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help more pregnant people avoid excessive weight gain and related pregnancy complications by improving access to healthy food.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller studies and programmatic efforts suggest food support and nutrition counseling can improve diet quality and some pregnancy outcomes, but large randomized trials specifically targeting excessive gestational weight gain with cash/food support are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 16-44 years * ≤18 weeks pregnant * Speak English, Spanish, or Marshallese * Valid email address
Where this trial is running
Corning, Arkansas and 7 other locations
- 1st Choice Healthcare — Corning, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- River Valley Primary Care Services — Lavaca, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- Olly Neal Community Health Center — Marianna, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- Boston Mountain Rural Health Center — Marshall, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- Mainline Health Systems — Monticello, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- Jefferson Comprehensive Care System — Pine Bluff, Arkansas, United States (Withdrawn)
- Community Clinic — Springdale, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
- East Arkansas Family Health Center — West Memphis, Arkansas, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Pearl McElfish, PhD — University of Arkansas
- Study coordinator: Brett Rowland
- Email: mbrowland@uams.edu
- Phone: 479-713-8000
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.