Exploring the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a culturally adapted group prenatal program, CenteringPregnancy, to reduce maternal and infant health disparities among Marshallese Pacific Islanders: A study protocol

Britni L Ayers; Hari Eswaran; Sheena CarlLee; Sharon Reece; Nirvana Manning; Pearl A McElfish

doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101127

Exploring the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a culturally adapted group prenatal program, CenteringPregnancy, to reduce maternal and infant health disparities among Marshallese Pacific Islanders: A study protocol

Contemp Clin Trials Commun. 2023 Apr 3:33:101127. doi: 10.1016/j.conctc.2023.101127. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Authors

Britni L Ayers¹, Hari Eswaran², Sheena CarlLee³, Sharon Reece³, Nirvana Manning², Pearl A McElfish¹

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR, 72762, USA.
² College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.
³ College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave., Fayetteville, AR, 72703, USA.

Abstract

Background: Marshallese Pacific Islanders residing in the United States have higher rates of adverse perinatal outcomes than the general population and experience numerous barriers to prenatal care. CenteringPregnancy is a group prenatal care model which occurs in the patient's community. CenteringPregnancy, when applied to the Marshallese population, presents a potentially highly successful group-based intervention that can mitigate adverse perinatal outcomes among Marshallese Pacific Islanders.

Methods: This article describes the protocol of a mixed-methods study designed to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of the implementation of CenteringPregnancy for Marshallese Pacific Islander women. The mixed-methods design collects qualitative and quantitative data at the onset of CenteringPregnancy and during their last session and then augments the data with post-partum data abstraction.

Conclusion: This will be the first study to culturally adapt and implement CenteringPregnancy with Marshallese pregnant women in the United States. This study will be an important first step to exploring the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of CenteringPregnancy and will better prepare the research team to assess and refine the intervention moving forward.

Trial registration: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on September 22, 2020 under identifier NCT04558619 and can be accessed at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04558619?term=K%C5%8Dmmour+Prenatal&draw=2&rank=1.

Keywords: CenteringPregnancy; Marshallese; Prenatal care.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04558619