Using chlorination to reduce infections in newborns

Multi-component Chlorination Intervention to Reduce Neonatal Infections in Rural Health Facilities

Not applicable Interventional University of California, Berkeley · NCT06824350

This study is testing if using chlorinated water in hospitals can help reduce infections in mothers and newborns in western Kenya.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment45450 (estimated)
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of California, Berkeley Academic / other
Locations2 sites (Berkeley, California and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06824350 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The CLEAN trial evaluates the effectiveness of a chlorination intervention in healthcare facilities in western Kenya to improve maternal and neonatal health outcomes. This cluster randomized controlled trial involves 36 public health facilities, where some will receive a passive chlorination system for water treatment and a reliable supply of sodium hypochlorite disinfectant. Both intervention and control facilities will also receive messaging on infection prevention and control. The study aims to assess the impact of this intervention on bacterial contamination in water supplies, healthcare worker hands, and high-touch surfaces, as well as the gut colonization of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria in mothers and their newborns.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are pregnant adults or mature minors arriving at participating healthcare facilities to give birth.

Not a fit: Patients who may not benefit from this study include those who experience miscarriage or stillbirth, as well as those who cannot provide informed consent.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly reduce the incidence of infections and improve survival rates among neonates in low-resource settings.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with chlorination and infection control measures in healthcare settings, indicating potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Facility Inclusion Criteria:

* Public health care facility
* 25 live births or more per month
* Infrastructure compatible with inline chlorination device

Participant Inclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant adults/mature minors arriving at enrolled facilities to give birth and their neonates

Facility Exclusion Criteria:

* Existing facility-level chlorination

Participant Exclusion Criteria:

* Miscarriage (\<28 weeks gestation)
* Stillbirth (for neonatal analysis only)
* Unable to give informed consent/do not consent
* Reside \>2 hours away from facility for enrollment into swab sampling cohort

Where this trial is running

Berkeley, California and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions SepsisNeonatal MortalityAntibiotic Resistant InfectionEnteric InfectionsSerious Bacterial Infectioninfection prevention and controlantibiotic resistancebacterial enteric infection
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.