Helping pregnant and postpartum people stay engaged in substance use treatment
Substance Use in Pregnant People - Optimizing Retention in Treatment by Maximizing Opportunities for Management
This pilot will test whether standardized social‑needs screening with referrals plus small rewards (contingency management) helps pregnant and postpartum people with substance use stay in treatment.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | Washington University School of Medicine Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Baltimore, Maryland and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07104123 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot is conducted in two specialized prenatal care clinics and tests two integrated approaches to improve retention in recovery services during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Aim 1 implements a standardized social needs screening and referral protocol to connect patients with community supports such as housing, transportation, childcare, and perinatal services. Aim 2 pilots a contingency management program that offers incentives for recovery-supportive behaviors. Feasibility and acceptability outcomes will be measured to inform the design of a larger multi-site randomized trial.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are pregnant people at any gestational age or individuals within three years postpartum who have a DSM-5 substance use disorder and plan to receive follow-up care at one of the participating clinics.
Not a fit: People who require immediate hospitalization for unstable medical or psychiatric conditions, who decline follow-up at the study sites, or who cannot access the participating clinics are unlikely to benefit from this pilot.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these strategies could increase sustained engagement in recovery services during pregnancy and the postpartum year and reduce relapse and related maternal harms.
How similar studies have performed: Contingency management has strong evidence of effectiveness in general SUD populations and social‑needs screening is widely used, but combining these strategies specifically in perinatal care is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Confirmed viable intrauterine pregnancy at any gestational age, or within three years postpartum SUD as defined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or clinician documentation Exclusion Criteria: Decline follow-up care at study site Require immediate hospitalization for unstable medical or psychiatric conditions making them clinically unsuitable to participate in a research study
Where this trial is running
Baltimore, Maryland and 1 other locations
- University of Maryland — Baltimore, Maryland, United States (Not_yet_recruiting)
- Washington University — St Louis, Missouri, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Jeannie C Kelly, MD, MS — Washington University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Melissa M Mills, BS
- Email: melissa.mills@wustl.edu
- Phone: 314-273-2279
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.