Feasibility of a Telemonitoring Program for Pregnant Women at High-Risk for Preeclampsia in Pakistan

Launched by UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK, TORONTO · Dec 14, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring a new way to help pregnant women at high risk for a condition called preeclampsia, which can lead to serious health problems for both the mother and baby. The researchers want to see if a mobile phone program that allows these women to monitor their own blood pressure at home can be effective. This is important because early detection and management of preeclampsia can save lives, especially in places like Pakistan where access to healthcare might be limited. The study will take place in Karachi and will involve 50 pregnant women who are either in their first or second trimester and meet certain health criteria.

To participate, women need to be able to understand and read some Urdu, as this will help them communicate with the research team and use the monitoring system. The trial will also include interviews with the women, their caregivers, and the healthcare providers involved, to gather their thoughts and experiences with the program. Overall, this study aims to find out if using a telemonitoring system can be a helpful and practical solution for managing high-risk pregnancies in Pakistan.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Pregnant women at high-risk for preeclampsia (HRPE) who are either in their first or second trimester of pregnancy. The definition of HRPE will follow that of the NICE guidelines that define pregnant women at HRPE as those who have one high-risk factor or more than one moderate risk factor for preeclampsia.
• • Participants who can speak and read (at least at a rudimentary level with help from a caregiver) the Urdu language for ease of communication with the research team and to be able to use the telemonitoring system.
• • Partners (almost always male husbands in the Pakistani culture) and/or other caregivers (e.g., mother and mother-in-law) of pregnant women \[for post-study interviews\]
• • Clinicians and nurses involved in the implementation of the telemonitoring program \[for post-study interviews\]
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Pregnant women at high-risk for preeclampsia who are admitted to hospital for the management of their preeclampsia condition