Home-delivered produce with optional AI meal helper for high-risk pregnant women
Enhancing the Effectiveness of Home-delivery Based Produce Prescription Program Implementation Strategies
This program tests whether giving Medicaid-eligible, high-risk pregnant women in Harris County home-delivered produce plus an AI chat helper helps them use the food and eat healthier.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 44 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Houston, Texas) |
| Trial ID | NCT06114199 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Harris Health System, GoldiFresh, and Brighter Bites are piloting a home-delivery based produce prescription program that provides regular fruit and vegetable baskets and nutrition education to Medicaid-eligible pregnant women at high risk of adverse birth outcomes. Participants receive the standard PPRx home deliveries and access a smartphone app, and a subset also receives an interactive AI conversational agent designed to turn provided foods into healthy meal ideas. The study will track utilization of food basket contents and measure changes in diet quality during pregnancy. Outcomes will compare utilization and diet quality between those with and without AI support to determine whether the AI increases conversion of produce into healthy meals.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Medicaid-eligible pregnant women within the program delivery zip codes who are ≤20 weeks pregnant, receiving care at high-risk obstetric clinics, and classified as high-risk due to age ≥35, prepregnancy overweight/obesity (BMI ≥25), or prior pregnancy hypertension or gestational diabetes.
Not a fit: Women medically advised to have bed rest, current substance users, those outside the delivery zip code, or people not enrolled in Medicaid are unlikely to be eligible or receive benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help high-risk pregnant women eat more fruits and vegetables, improve diet quality during pregnancy, and potentially lower risks tied to poor prenatal nutrition.
How similar studies have performed: Previous produce prescription programs have shown modest improvements in fruit and vegetable intake and diet quality, while using an AI conversational agent to convert produce into meals is a newer approach with limited prior evidence.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * receiving prenatal care at high-risk obstetric clinics * \<= 20 weeks medically-confirmed viable pregnancy * designated as high risk \[Age\>=35 years, or obese or overweight (BMI\>=25.0 at pre pregnancy self-report), or prior history of pregnancy hypertension or gestational diabetes\] * within the zip code delivery radius Exclusion Criteria: * women who were medically recommended bed rest through pregnancy * substance users
Where this trial is running
Houston, Texas
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston — Houston, Texas, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Nanlini Ranjit, PhD — The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
- Study coordinator: Nalini Ranjit, PhD
- Email: Nalini.Ranjit@uth.tmc.edu
- Phone: (512) 391-2527
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.