Doula-delivered postpartum support with nurse coordination for people with preterm births in the NICU
Official title: Nurturing, Empowering, Supporting Together (NEST): a Project to Improve Postpartum Birth Outcomes in the NICU.
Run by University of South Carolina · NCT07787845 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether doula-delivered postpartum help, guided by nurses, improves health outcomes and experiences for people with babies under 34 weeks in the NICU, compared to standard postpartum care.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 350 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of South Carolina Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Columbia, South Carolina) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 21, 2026 |
| Main results expected | August 2029 |
| Study ends | August 2030 |
| Registry record updated | October 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07787845 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults 18 or older on Medicaid, who delivered before 34 weeks and have an infant in the NICU, able to visit the infant at least weekly.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are not English-speaking, do not have Medicaid coverage, or whose infant is not in the NICU may not benefit from this intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial compares doula-delivered postpartum support with nurse-coordinated care to standard postpartum care for English-speaking adults on Medicaid whose infant is under 34 weeks and admitted to the NICU. Participants may be enrolled during late pregnancy, in a postpartum unit, or while the infant is in the NICU. The study includes mental health screening and referral and follow-up for iron deficiency anemia, with outcomes on health care utilization, health status, and patient experiences. Recruitment is at Prisma Health Richland in Columbia, South Carolina, led by the University of South Carolina with Prisma Health-Midlands as a collaborator. The intervention combines doula support with coordinated medical follow-up to address needs during the postpartum period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce postpartum health problems and improve care coordination for families with preterm infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in postpartum support and maternal-infant care suggest benefits from doula support and nurse coordination, but the combined doula-plus-nurse approach in this specific preterm/NICU population is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Age above 18 at time of delivery of infant * English-speaking * Medicaid insurance coverage at the time of delivery, either as primary or secondary coverage * Delivery before 34 weeks' gestation * Infant admitted to the NICU, 10 days old or less Exclusion Criteria: * Stillbirth * Infant death in the delivery room * Infant with severe congenital anomalies expected to result in death shortly after birth * Inability to provide informed consent * Inability to visit the infant in the NICU at least once per week * More than 10 days postpartum
Where it's running
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Prisma Health Richland
Columbia, South Carolina, United States Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.