BetterBirth: A Trial of the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program (BetterBirth)

June 24, 2024 updated by: Katherine Semrau, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

A Matched-pair, Cluster Randomized Trial to Measure the Efficacy of the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program on Severe Maternal, Fetal and Newborn Harm

The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of a checklist-based childbirth safety program (the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program) on reduction of severe maternal, fetal, and newborn harm in institutional deliveries in north India.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program is a quality improvement program designed to support health workers to deliver evidence-based practices to women and newborns around the time of institutional childbirths. At the program's core is the Safe Childbirth Checklist, a 31-item list of essential practices that target the major causes of maternal and newborn mortality in low-resource settings globally. The program was developed over 3 years by a partnership of WHO and HSPH, working with a large international network of experts and stakeholders in maternal, fetal, and newborn health. Pilot testing of the program at a public-sector birth center in south India demonstrated dramatic improvements in health worker adherence to essential childbirth-related clinical care standards. The current study is a matched-pair, cluster randomized trial to measure the efficacy of the program in reducing severe maternal and newborn harm. This trial will be conducted at approximately 120 health facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
157689

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • India
    • Uttar Pradesh
      • Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, 226 010
        • PSI

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • For measuring outcomes, inclusion criteria are all mothers admitted to a study site for childbirth and newborn babies who are to be followed-up. In case a mother or baby from an enrolled site is referred out to another facility (before or after delivery) the mother-baby dyad will be included in the study and the outcome will be allocated to the referring facility
  • For a smaller subset of birth events (approximately 4,650 deliveries total), health worker practices will be observed to measure the impact of the SCC program on delivery of essential practices, as a secondary outcome. A convenience sample of women who agree to observation and their babies cared for by the health workers around the time of childbirth at the facility during data collectors' duty hours will be included in this component of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mothers who have been referred into the facility by an inter-facility transfer.
  • Mothers being managed for abortion.
  • Mothers who refuse consent for follow-up

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Intervention Health Facility
WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program
Behavioral: WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program
The IHF group will receive the WHO Safe Childbirth Checklist Program designed to maximize likelihood of effective and sustained uptake of the program by birth attendants in the designated facilities. The program includes three key implementation steps that involve: engagement of leadership and clinicians at the state, district, and local levels, a formal launch to introduce the Checklist, and support through peer coaching and data feedback. The intervention facilities will also receive a standardized maternity register to ensure appropriate data collection.
No Intervention: Control Health Facility
Matched control facilities providing comparison for intervention facilities

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of Participants With Composite Measure of Perinatal Death, Maternal Death, or Maternal Severe Complications Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
The primary outcome was a composite outcome of events occurring within the first 7 days after delivery, incorporating stillbirth; early neonatal death; maternal death; or self-reported maternal severe complications, including seizures, loss of consciousness for more than 1 hour, fever with foul-smelling vaginal discharge, hemorrhage, or stroke.
0-7 days after delivery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Percentage of Participants With Perinatal Death or Maternal Death Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Percentage of participants with composite rate of perinatal death and maternal death within 7 days
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Perinatal Death Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days
Count of participants with perinatal death within 7 days (combined stillbirth or neonatal death)
0-7 days
Count of Participants With Stillbirth
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Newborn outcome; rate of stillbirth
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Early Neonatal Death
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Newborn outcome; rate of early neonatal death
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Maternal Death
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Maternal outcome; rate of maternal death
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Severe Maternal Complications
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Maternal outcome; any severe maternal complication within 7 days
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Cesarean Section
Time Frame: Around the time of delivery during facility stay, an expected average of 2 days (although individual patients may vary)
Rate of cesarean section
Around the time of delivery during facility stay, an expected average of 2 days (although individual patients may vary)
Count of Participants With Maternal Referral, Before or After Delivery
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Maternal outcome; Rate of maternal inter-facility transfer
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Newborn Referral
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Newborn outcome; Newborn referral
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Hysterectomy Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Rate of hysterectomy within 7 days
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Participants With Blood Transfusion Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Rate of blood transfusion within 7 days
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Mothers Returning to Facility for a Health Problem Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Maternal Outcome; Rate of need for follow-up care for Mother
0-7 days after delivery
Count of Newborns Returning to Facility for a Health Problem Within 7 Days
Time Frame: 0-7 days after delivery
Newborn outcome; Rate of need for follow-up care for newborn (or at least one newborn in case of twins)
0-7 days after delivery

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Mean Number of 18 Essential Birth Practices Performed at 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the mean number of 18 essential birth practices performed across the intervention versus control facilities at 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed at Admission, 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at the time of the woman's admission to the facility, 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Just Before Pushing, 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at the time of labor just before pushing, 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Within One Minute After Delivery, 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at the time within one minute after the woman's delivery, 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Within One Hour After Delivery, 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed within one hour after delivery, 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed at Anytime During Delivery, 2 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 2 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 2 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at anytime during the observation period of the woman's delivery, 2 months post-intervention start.
2 months post-intervention start
Mean Number of 18 Essential Birth Practices Performed at 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the mean number of 18 essential birth practices performed across the intervention versus control facilities at 12 months post-intervention start.
12 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed at Admission, 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at the time of the woman's admission to the facility, 12 months post-intervention start.
12 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Just Before Pushing, 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at the time just before pushing, 12 months post-intervention start
12 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Within One Minute After Delivery, 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed within one minute after delivery, 12 months post-intervention start
12 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed Within One Hour After Delivery, 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed within one hour after delivery, 12 months post-intervention start
12 months post-intervention start
Count of Participants Where Essential Birth Practices Were Observed at Anytime, 12 Months Post-intervention Start
Time Frame: 12 months post-intervention start
Birth attendant's rate of completion of "Process measures" resulting from Safe Childbirth Checklist program will be assessed in a sample of total birth events at 12 months after the intervention is introduced to intervention facilities. The below measures reflect the essential birth practices performed at any time during the observation period, 12 months post-intervention start.
12 months post-intervention start

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
World Health Organization
Population Services International
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College
Community Empowerment Lab
MacArthur Foundation

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Vishwajeet Kumar, MBBS, MPH, Community Empowerment Lab
  • Principal Investigator: Bhala Kodkany, MBBS, Jawarhlal Nehru Medical College
  • Principal Investigator: Katherine Semrau, PhD, Harvard Medical School/ Ariadne Labs
  • Principal Investigator: Atul Gawande, MD, MPH, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 20, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 18, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 13, 2014

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 23, 2014

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 29, 2014

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 26, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 24, 2024

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HSPH OPP1017378

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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