FASD Prevention R33 (R33)

September 14, 2026 updated by: Yukiko Washio, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Adapting and Testing Behavioral Intervention to Prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Adverse Infant Outcomes (R33)

This R33 application proposes to adapt and test an evidence-based behavioral intervention to decrease polysubstance use (i.e., alcohol and tobacco/cannabis) during pregnancy and lactation and prevent adverse clinical outcomes, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in South Africa (SA). SA has a long history of social and health disparities, resulting in the world's highest rate of FASD (111.1 per 1,000), where lifelong negative cognitive and physical effects result from prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD is completely preventable if women do not drink during pregnancy. Prenatal alcohol use frequently co-occurs with other substance use, especially tobacco and cannabis. The adverse effect on birth outcomes by alcohol and tobacco use together is worse than either substance alone. Recent evidence from animal models shows that prenatal exposure to both cannabinoids and alcohol potentiate the likelihood of alcohol-induced birth defects. Data from Cape Metropole, SA, showed that all women who reported prenatal alcohol use also tested positive for tobacco use, with 25% also reporting cannabis use. Alcohol use while breastfeeding also occurs at a relatively high rate in SA. Despite tremendous health benefits from breastfeeding, maternal alcohol use while breastfeeding significantly compromises infant development. Contingency management (CM) has been efficacious in reducing prenatal cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco use in the United States (U.S.). The Women's Health CoOp (WHC) is an evidence-based brief intervention addressing women-focused syndemic issues and resulting disparities associated with substance and alcohol use. These evidence-based interventions need to be combined and adapted for addressing maternal polysubstance use and associated health and behavioral issues during pregnancy and lactation in SA.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

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.

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 (Estimated)

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.
184

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.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • South Africa
      • Cape Town, South Africa
        • University of Cape Town
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • (1) be pregnant, (2) intend to breastfeed, (3) test positive for alcohol use by urinalysis (i.e., EtG), (4) test positive for tobacco or cannabis use by urinalysis (i.e., cotinine and THC), (5) have an independent access to a mobile phone, (6) plan to remain in the area during pregnancy and 3 months postpartum.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Report serious medical problems threatening their current pregnancy or current suicidal thoughts or attempts in the past month.

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: Prevention
  • 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.
Active Comparator: Usual Care
Participants will receive community referrals to treatment programs as needed and will be asked to meet research staff on a monthly basis at the clinic to provide a urine sample and fill out timeline follow-back. R200 will be provided for sample provision. Research staff will make referrals to treatment programs in the community as needed.
Behavioral: Usual Care
Participants will receive community referrals to treatment programs as needed and will be asked to meet research staff on a monthly basis at the clinic to provide a urine sample and fill out timeline follow-back. R200 will be provided for sample provision. Research staff will make referrals to treatment programs in the community as needed.
Experimental: Intervention
Participants will receive text-based support on health promotion and referral content based on educational components. Participants will be asked to meet research staff on a monthly basis at the clinic to provide a urine sample, fill out timeline follow back on self-reported alcohol and tobacco/cannabis use, and receive contingent incentives if abstinence is verified.
Behavioral: Intervention
Participants will receive text-based support on health promotion and referral content based on educational components. Participants will be asked to meet research staff on a monthly basis at the clinic to provide a urine sample, fill out timeline follow back on self-reported alcohol and tobacco/cannabis use, and receive contingent incentives if abstinence is verified.

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
Urinalysis results for alcohol use
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum
An alcohol metabolite (EtG) will be measured in urine samples. EtG can be detected in the urine up to 5 days after heavy drinking and up to 2 days after light drinking with ≥150 ng/mL for EtG as a cutoff value.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum
Urinalysis results for tobacco use
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum
Biochemical verification of recent tobacco use in urine samples. A tobacco metabolite (cotinine) will be measured in urine samples. The metabolite can be detected up to 3-4 days after use with ≥ 80ng/mL as a cutoff.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum
Urinalysis results for cannabis use
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum
Biochemical verification of recent cannabis use in urine samples. A cannabis metabolite (THC) will be measured in urine samples. The metabolite can be detected up to 28 days after heavy use with ≥50 ng/mL as a cutoff.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 months postpartum

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
Birth weight
Time Frame: Birth
Birth weight
Birth
Gestational age at birth
Time Frame: Birth
Gestational age at birth
Birth
Head circumference
Time Frame: Birth
Head circumference
Birth
Apgar score
Time Frame: Birth
Apgar score
Birth
NICU admission
Time Frame: Birth to 3 months postpartum
NICU admission and length of stay
Birth to 3 months postpartum
Infant weight at 3 months
Time Frame: 3 months postpartum
Infant weight at 3 months
3 months postpartum
Infant height at 3 months
Time Frame: 3 months postpartum
Infant height at 3 months
3 months postpartum

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.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

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.
University of Cape Town
RTI International

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 (Estimated)

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.
February 1, 2027

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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 31, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
June 30, 2029

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).
September 11, 2026

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.
September 14, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

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.
September 18, 2026

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.
September 18, 2026

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.
September 14, 2026

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.
September 1, 2026

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.
  • H26-046

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

A limited data set in which names and other personal health identifiers are removed will be supplied to researchers on request. The data will be made available after the publication of the study results. Analytic files will be collected in Redcap and then prepared in SPSS, R, SAS, or STATA, with online codebooks giving the variable name, label, type, format, positions, consistency codes, and, if applicable, values and value labels. Requesting access to data will involve drafting an abstract, checking the feasibility relative to the available data, and then seeking the permission of the principal investigator and the team for review, if appropriate. The data sets will be ready for use and can be converted to other analytic tools.

IPD Sharing Time Frame

After study outcomes are published for 3 years

IPD Sharing Access Criteria

those with the permission of the principal investigator and the team investigators

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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