Texting AI support for early pregnancy care in Philadelphia
Official title: Conversational AI Platform for Early Pregnancy Care City-wide Recruitment: A Feasibility Study
Run by University of Pennsylvania · NCT07197892 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether a texting conversational AI (CIRCA) can recruit and support people in early pregnancy in the Philadelphia area.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 15 Years and up |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 2637 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Pennsylvania Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 6, 2026 |
| Main results expected | February 2027 |
| Study ends | September 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07197892 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-reading pregnant people in Philadelphia under 12 weeks, 6 days gestation who have a working mobile phone and can provide informed consent.
✕Probably not a fit
People without a mobile phone, who cannot read English, or whose pregnancy is beyond 12 weeks, 6 days are unlikely to benefit from this platform.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Participants with a positive pregnancy test scan a QR code and enroll via SMS into the CIRCA conversational AI platform, which confirms the pregnancy and estimates gestational age from last menstrual period or directs them for ultrasound if unknown. The platform provides triage, scheduled educational content, and links to local early pregnancy assessment centers as needed. Feasibility is determined by whether recruitment goals are met in proportion to the hospital's delivery volume and by participant engagement with the texting workflows. Enrollment is limited to English-reading individuals with a working mobile phone and pregnancies under 12 weeks, 6 days.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, CIRCA could give people faster, clearer guidance and easier access to triage and education in early pregnancy via text, lowering barriers to care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior SMS-based pregnancy support programs have improved engagement and access, but QR-onboarded conversational AI specifically for very early pregnancy is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Willing and able to provide informed consent * Access to a working mobile phone * Ability to read English * Pregnant with a gestational age less than 12 weeks, 6 days by last menstrual period or by ultrasound, or per patient self-report Exclusion Criteria: N/A
Where it's running
-
Penn Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Alice Abernathy — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Arden McAllister, MPH
- Email: arden.mcallister@pennmedicine.upenn.edu
- Phone: 267-785-8044
Similar studies
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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.